Through Our Eyes
by Hillsy21
Summary: Being a chipmunk isn't all its cracked up to be. Join Dave as he learns this and more. There's love, laughter, anger and family fun. But be careful! There's always danger just around the corner! R&R!
1. Why You Don't Go Snooping

**Authors Notes: ****Hey everyone, this is just a really random idea that I thought could be fun to write. The start is a bit abrupt, but with my time limit, it's the best I can do. **

**Disclaimer: If I actually owned any part of Alvin and the Chipmunks, I would be in the process of writing a fourth movie set in Australia. **

**Through Our Eyes**

**Chapter one: Why You Don't Go Snooping.**

Dave struck a Michael Jackson pose as he danced around with the broom. His iPod earphones were blasting full bolt as he moon walked backwards to a spot he knew he had missed. He sang at the top of his lungs, "You know I'M BAD, I'M BAD, you know it! OW!"

He knew he sounded like pure crap, but seeing as his kids were at school, why did he care? They wouldn't be home til 3 and it was only 2.30 in the afternoon. Why not enjoy himself while he cleaned up yet another one of his own cooking disasters? After another half an hour of sweeping, scrubbing and mopping, everything looked brand new and untouched. Dave sighed in relief and walked out of the kitchen, saying to himself, "That's the last time I try to cook an omelette!"

Dave strode down the main hallway of the massive house he and the kids had recently moved into, relishing the soft and glowing sunlight flowing through the windows. The was the house he used to be only be able to dream about living in and now it was a glorious reality. He had everything that he could've ever wanted. A massive music studio to compose music and lyrics, a recording booth, a decent sized stage for concert practice and every instrument imaginable. There was a pool and Jacuzzi in the backyard and an old oak tree that he tied a tyre swing to.

But all that was nothing compared to his family that he'd been raising for five years now. He was proud with every single one of his kids, who had reached their teenage years and had matured nicely. All of them had grown up a lot after the misadventure on the deserted island.

Theodore was still as sweet and innocent as ever, but you couldn't call him 'Theadorable' anymore, Theo wouldn't allow it. He had really changed and lost quite a lot of his baby fat when he started to join Eleanor in her workouts. The loss of weight caused him to lose the chubby cheeked look, which wasn't a big loss as it left behind a very handsome and mature face. The compliments he had been getting gave him the confidence to ask Eleanor out!

Boy, could those two cook! The house was always had an interesting smell when the green eyed chipmunks got going with a new recipe they had discovered. That was a God send at times when Simon and Jeanette's experiments went wrong and the pong of burning acid and metal come wafting up from the basement!

Ever since he accidently became Simone, Simon had mellowed out a little and was willing to live life a little more and take risks. It made him (and Alvin) very happy-go-lucky and his laughter was heard a lot more frequently. Everyone loved this new and happy Simon, especially Jeanette, who Simon had taken out several times and always came back all giggly and giddy. It made Dave smile just thinking about it.

As for Alvin and Brittany, things had only changed a little bit. They both had strong feelings about each other, but Alvin was hiding it in a different way now that his ego had taken a massive beating and had deflated. After getting off the island, Alvin had matured a lot faster than Dave had thought possible. Probably from guilt, shame and massive embarrassment, Alvin had bullied himself into growing up and settling down. He seemed to be happy with this change in behaviour, but everyone knew that Alvin was still uncomfortable.

Brittany was confused at first with the very quiet, thoughtful, and for some reason, shy chipmunk, but warmed up to him after a couple of weeks. It was an odd thing not have to shout at them both for arguing at the top of their lungs. Instead, you could have mistaken Alvin for Simon as he tried to talk Brittany without acting like a player, the stuttering and nervousness was humbling. Brittany must've thought it was cute, because otherwise she wouldn't be giggling and cuddling up to him on the couch at night.

As Dave strode past the door leading down to Simon's lab which was slightly ajar, he noticed a bright blue light flashing through the crack. Curious, he opened the door and went down stairs, flicking the light switch on as he went. He knew the bespectacled couple had been working on something classified, but he was perfectly at liberty to take a look, seeing as this was his house.

The lab wasn't really a scientific sort of lab, more like an inventors workshop. The walls were lined with shelves filled with old blueprints, wires and bits and pieces of experiments that didn't work out. There were two work benches in the middle of the room. Dave couldn't help but smirk at how ridiculously tidy they were, the tools were all lined up according to size and frequency. He was tempted to move them around randomly to see if Simon would freak out, but something else caught his attention.

On the second workbench was a large vial of aqua blue liquid, sitting next to a chemistry set. Dave walked over to it and saw the blueprint. The title read, "DNA Conversion Solution. Test Subject- Unknown."

Suddenly, Dave heard the high pitched voices of his kids calling, "Dave, we're home!"

Not wanting to be seen snooping, Dave spun around and started to run toward the stairs, but not before clumsily slipping backwards on the tiled floor. As he went down, he tried to grab the edge of the workbench, but only knocked the vial of solution. The liquid sprayed all over his face as the vial smashed on the floor and he landed on his back in pain.

The last thing poor Dave remembered was the solution starting to burn through his skin...

"Are you freakin' kidding me? _This _is what you two have been working on?"

"Alvin! Everyone, please just calm down!"

"Calm down? Jeanette, look at him! He's going to be beside himself!"

"Brittany, please-!"

"Is he going to die?"

"Of course not Theodore, Dave's gonna be just fine!"

"_Fine, _Simon? He's gonna have a heart attack when he sees what's happened to him!"

"Hey, hey, HEY! Shut up. He's waking up now! Quick! Put the blindfold on him! We'll reveal this little situation slowly."

"A _little _situation?"

"I said shut up, Alvin!"

The burning light that had been shining through his eyelids had suddenly disappeared into darkness. An extremely confused and dazed Dave found himself being pulled to his feet. For some reason, he couldn't keep himself standing and felt the pairs of hands keeping him upright increase their grip. His sore legs slipped and slid on the tiles while trying to support his aching body. He tried to talk, but his dry throat only let him splutter stupidly.

"Whoa, whoa. Guys, keep him steady and bring him over here in front of the mirror. Dave, relax and don't try to talk. The girls have gone to get you some water," spoke a familiar voice. Dave nodded vigorously as he was half dragged to the other side of the room. He was brought to a halt with his mind still racing. Where was he? Who was holding him? Why did Simon want him blindfolded?

"Bottoms up Dave!" cried Eleanor anxiously. Somebody forced his mouth open and poured water down his throat, Dave gagged at first, but the rest of it came down nicely. There was silence as he relished in the cold water soothing his dry throat.

After a few moments, Dave had finished drinking. The grip on his shoulders and back had loosened and the blind fold was being untied. Then came Simons voice from right next to him, "Now Dave, this is going to be a massive shock for you, okay? Just relax and try to take this in slowly. Try not to panic, cause everything is going to be fine."

Dave turned his head in Simon's direction as the blind fold came off. Surprisingly, they were both eye-to-eye. He then looked in the mirror as the fogginess left his vision. What he saw made his dark brown eyes widen in shock..

He couldn't have been any taller than Simon or Jeanette. Jet black fur covered his body and white stripes started at the back of his neck and ran straight to the tip of his long tail. A thin brown stripe ran from the tip of his velvety grey nose to the top of his head where a scruff of fur sat messily. Two rotatable ears were perked forward in alarm. The hands keeping him on his feet were actually the paws of Alvin and Jeanette, standing either side of him and watching his reaction in nervousness.

After a few minutes of scanning his tiny new body, the should-be-human gave a hitch pitched yelp, "Oh my God! Simon? Jeanette! What the hell?" He became even more alarmed when he heard his new voice **(LOL, just imagine a high-pitched Jason Lee!)**

Dave looked at everyone in turn as they stared back worriedly. Alvin and Jeanette released their grip on Dave's shoulders and this time, the nails on his feet spread apart and his tail centred itself, allowing him to balance and stand upright on his hind legs. Eleanor slowly walked up to Dave, who still looked a little scared and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Dave," she announced anxiously, "Welcome to the fold..."

**A/N: Again, so sorry about the sucky intro, but it'll get better, believe me...**


	2. You Need To Trust Yourself

**Chapter 2: You Need To Trust Yourself.**

Four months. Four freakin months is how long it'll be until Simon and Jeanette can give Dave the antidote. It's already been developed, but for it to be strong enough to turn him back into a fully grown human, it needs to mature like a fine wine or scotch. In the meantime, Dave was subjected to being tested on just how well a human can adapt to a chipmunks body.

The first test began after only two hours of his change, in the shed out in the backyard that had been converted into a gym. Dave had no idea what was expected of him and he didn't really know why he was agreeing to it. Perhaps it was just plainly because it was a lot more productive than standing around and marvelling at how weird this whole thing was.

Everyone walked slowly into the gym through the cat flap, Dave still struggling to balance on his hind legs. It annoyed him that the one thing that he'd been doing all his life had suddenly become a challenge.

Eleanor could see Dave's frustration and tried to encourage him, "Don't worry Dave, you'll get used to it. Besides, you're doing a pretty good job for someone whose never had to control a tail before."

"That's true. It'll get easier when you get used to running on all fours. It helps you to learn how to have complete control over your body," Jeanette added. Simon, who had his paw entwined with hers, nodded in agreement.

"I just hope I can get used to it before I have another stupid accident," said Dave wearily, rubbing the sore part of his head from where he hit the floor. His tail suddenly gave a subconscious flick when a fly tried to land on it. _'How did I do that?,' _he thought curiously.

"You won't have an accident, because we'll stay around until you can move on your own," chirped Theodore happily. The shock had obviously worn off and Theodore was more than happy to help his adoptive father adapt. As long as Dave was safe and healthy, Theo didn't care what animal he was. "Isn't that right, guys?" Everyone else nodded and Dave couldn't help but give a small smile.

"Alrighty then, let's get this over and done with before dinner. Theo, Ellie, why don't you go and get started with whatever your cooking tonight?" Alvin half-ordered. His new personality didn't allow him to bark commands at anyone.

The green-clads nodded and bounded back out of the gym and onto the lawn. Brittany turned to Alvin, "I think I'll go help them. I'm not gonna be much use in here." And with that, she bounded after her little sister.

Jeanette and the boys watched her go before turning back to the first test. Simon led Dave over to the chipmunk sized treadmill, which was the perfect size for running on two legs or all fours. There's only a certain speed a chipmunk can go before they have to get down low and add more power, so this was the perfect machine for Dave to improve his skills.

"Okay, this should be easy enough to start with. Hop on," Simon instructed. Dave stepped on nervously and faced forward. "Now, we'll start you off slowly at a walk and gradually into a run. Alvin will control the speed and elevation. Just remember, that if you feel that you can't keep up on your legs, drop onto your front paws and you should start bounding automatically. You'll be fine as long as you trust your instincts, okay?"

"Not really. My instincts are telling me to bail out!" Dave exclaimed.

Alvin sighed, "Your listening to the human instincts. It's important that you get in touch with the chipmunk instincts. What are they telling you?"

Dave thought, _'What's the difference? Okay, okay, focus...ummmm...How can you tell? Seriously?...Okay, so I'm not a human anymore...Supposed to use the tail for balance...Gotta relax and let the instincts do their thing...What are they telling me? Oh my god, I'm even thinking in a high pitched_ _voice! You think this would be easier...'_

Dave's eyes glazed over and became glassy as the train of thought continued. Alvin, Jeanette and Simon watched closely, before Alvin stepped forward and clicked his fingers in Dave's face. The black furred chipmunk didn't even blink. Alvin turned back to Jeanette.

"That was a good idea to distract him Jean," He complimented.

Jeanette giggled, "Do you think he's ready?"

"He's completely zoned out. Just look at him," Simon observed. Alvin walked slowly forward again and this time pressed the 'instant run' button on the treadmill.

Dave gave a loud yelp as he was jolted back into reality, stumbling about, trying desperately to keep up with the treadmill. He found his footing and his feet pounded against the base, "ALVIN! What was that for? I wasn't ready yet!"

"You shouldn't need to be!" Alvin replied over all the noise Dave was making, "Dave your struggling too much!"

"Oh, struggling am I?" Dave snarled between pants, "I never would've realised that. THANK YOU!"

"Dave, remember what I told you! Drop onto your front paws!" cried Simon.

"What? No! I'll crash and burn!" Dave yelled. He wasn't coping and was nearly falling off the back of the treadmill as he spoke.

"Just trust us!" cried Jeanette.

Dave knew he had no other choice but to try, either way, he was going to trip over. He took a deep breath, grit his teeth and nervously dropped down. He waited for the sensation of flying backwards...But it never came! He was doing it! It wasn't exactly with a graceful stride, but he was keeping up nevertheless. He felt the muscles in his legs relax as the work was spread out along his body. His paws hit the tread lightly and his body stayed centred, his ears flat against his head and his tail stuck high in the air.

Alvin whooped and Simon and Jeanette cheered for their father figure, all relieved that he didn't get injured. A confident grin spread on Dave's face. His breathing had eased up. There was this determination to keep going. This was so easy! He had never felt so comfortable in his own body before as he added little more power in his legs.

After a few minutes, Alvin walked over and started to steadily slow the treadmill down. Eventually, Dave was back on his hind paws, exhaustion creeping in as the adrenaline left his body. He stepped off the treadmill with a goofy smile, half laughing, half out of breath, "That was awesome! From now on, I'm just going to go ahead and do what I need to!"

The others laughed along with him. Dave's legs felt like jelly, but surprisingly, his balance problem seemed to be a thing of the past. Alvin clapped Dave on the shoulder as Simon quickly wrote down a few notes on a clipboard in regard to Dave's results.

"Well done Dave!" congratulated Jeanette. Dave smiled in appreciation.

For another half an hour, Alvin put Dave through his paces while the bespectacled couple observed. Soon enough, Dave got over his nerves and dropping to all fours became automatic. He had to admit that being a chipmunk was easy as long as you trusted in yourself as well as others. It was amazing how he had learned all this after only a few hours of changing.

Together, the four chipmunks head back inside to the dining room, Dave now feeling comfortable as a chipmunk. As they walked in, the other three got a running start and leapt onto the table with ease. Theodore, Eleanor and Brittany were waiting patiently with the table already set up and the food served. It took a few tries, but Dave made it onto the table too, the reward being the overwhelming scent of pumpkin fettuccini.

Dave inhaled and nearly drooled. His sense of smell was so much stronger than before and almost tripled his appetite. _'No wonder the kids are never full, everything smells so good," _He thought to himself as Theodore placed a bowl in front of him. Instead of taking his time, Dave was wolfing down his dinner with the Chipmunks, leaving the girls to be the ones with manners. Everything tasted as good as it smelt.

After such a big meal and a bit of TV, Dave was exhausted beyond belief. At 9.00, everyone got ready for bed. Dave bid everyone good night, then headed off to his room for a well earned sleep. His room had seemed enormous from a human point of view, so now it was like a mansion within a mansion. He leapt onto his bed and got under the silk covers. He couldn't help but feel like an ant in a king-sized bed, but tried to ignore it as best as he could.

This topped the list of the oddest days he had ever had. Little did he know, it was going to get a lot stranger...


	3. I'm HOW old!

**Chapter 3: I'm HOW old?**

The tests over the next few days were spread out due to the kids having to go to school. At Simon's request, Dave had been bounding around the house and learning how to do everyday tasks in his new 11 inch body. He had been taken to his limit with all of his tests, whether it was analysing his sense of smell or testing his reflexes. Luckily after the first test, he was passing every one with flying colours. Everybody was actually impressed with his results, regarding that Dave had approached every challenge shaking like a furry maraca.

It was finally Saturday, which meant that the final test could be assessed. Dave woke up to the sunlight shining in his eyes; he blinked and slowly opened them while uncurling from the ball he had slept in. After stretching like a dog, he jumped off his bed and pulled on a white casual top Eleanor made for him and a jacket he had borrowed from Alvin. It was weird to not wear any bottoms, but seeing as the boys didn't have a problem with it, Dave supposed he shouldn't either.

He was usually the first one awake, so it was a surprise for him to see Simon and Jeanette sitting together on the table as he walked into the kitchen. They were both pouring over the note book that had all of Dave's results. They were so focused, that Dave scared the crap out of them when he leapt onto the table. He laughed as Jeanette clutched her heart and Simon jumped back into his bowl of cornflakes.

"Don't do that!" Jeanette cried. She stood up and helped Simon out of the bowl.

"Sorry about that," Dave chuckled. Simon sent a scowl in his direction, which he ignored, "So, what's going to happen today?"

"Well,' Simon began, still glaring at the black furred chipmunk, "Your last test will be on your tree climbing skills, which means we'll be able to assess your balance and grip at the same time."

"Sounds like fun," Dave replied unenthusiastically. He had been dreading this test as it was the most risky off all of them. One slip up and he could be seriously injured.

**AATCAATCAATC**

By 9 o'clock, the rest of the house was fully awake. The Seville's trundled out into the backyard to the massive oak tree; a light breeze caused the grass to tickle their legs teasingly. Alvin and Brittany led the group, followed by the green clad couple and the bespectacled couple, Jeanette carrying the notebook. Dave was last, nerves yet again getting the better of him.

When they came to the roots, everyone circled around to look at Dave as Jeanette spoke, "Okay, this is how this is going to work. Dave, you're going to step onto that root over there and start to climb. Brittany will start before you, Theodore and Eleanor will be behind you in case you slip. Alvin will climb next to you and talk you through it. You should be fine as long as you listen properly."

'_When haven't I listened properly?' _Dave thought as Brittany sprinted at the tree and jumped at the trunk, sticking to it like Velcro. He and Alvin walked side by side to the root that Jeanette had indicated to. Dave noticed that Alvin's claws were unsheathed on all four paws, so he decided to do the same to look like he had some idea of what he was doing.

"Okay, as long as you relax and listen you'll be fine," Alvin instructed. He started to demonstrate as he talked. He dug his claws into the bark as if he was rock climbing and hauled himself up, Dave cautiously followed suit. "Good, now pretend that you're crawling down a hallway and your instincts should kick in after a couple of seconds. The first few steps are always nerve wracking for first timers."

It was a slow start as Dave cautiously hauled himself up, placing each paw carefully before moving. Eventually after a minute or two, he started to speed up as he gained confidence; his claws grappling the bark with a definitive crunching noise. Theodore and Eleanor followed at a decent distance, encouraging Dave every now and then while Simon and Jeanette observed from the ground. Alvin kept giving tips and instructions, watching Dave closely. Gradually, they reached the first branch 5 metres up where Brittany was sitting.

"Jump up next to me." said Brittany. Dave did exactly that and to his surprise, it was easier than he thought. He stood up and slid over that Alvin could join them. Now that they had reached that point, it was time to keep jumping from branch to branch to the top of the tree. 10 minutes later, after a few near misses that caused everyone to have miniature heart attacks and reminded Dave why he had Vertigo, they were enjoying the countryside scenery. That was worth all the worry and nervousness.

Now it was time to go back down. This was a little easier because all Dave had to learn was to leap downwards and keep a controlled slide. It only took five minutes to get back down. Simon and Jeanette were beaming as widely as the rest as Theodore clapped Dave on the shoulder. "Well done Dave," he congratulated. Dave grinned at his youngest son and hugged him.

"So how did I do?" asked Dave.

"Excellent!" praised Jeanette, "Dave, you've shown all the qualities that we wanted to achieve with our Solution. Your instincts come in quickly and efficiently, your senses are as strong as any of ours. That's pretty impressive for somebody whose species have let their own in superior instincts to go waste and have the ability to only destroy nature."

Dave felt a little insulted at that last part, but he chose to ignore it as Simon added, "But it seems that we've done a little more than just change your species. From the results we've got, you have a lot more energy and stamina than the average adult chipmunk, which means that you're age must've reduced as well.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Brittany exclaimed in alarm. The other chipmunks looked confused too, "What do you mean, his age has reduced?"

"I mean, "Simon concurred," We'll have to get a blood test done to confirm it, but if I'm right, Dave can't be any older than 16 years old!"

There was a stunned silence until Dave broke out of his shock, "I'm HOW old?...I'm a-a teenager? Again?" This can't be happening. His teenage years were even more horrible than the years he had spent struggling to be a songwriter. He didn't want to have to go back to West Eastman High where he was popular one minute, than being beat up behind the gymnasium the next because he called the quarterback a loser.

"Apparently yes," Eleanor said, breaking Dave from his thoughts. Everyone could see the exasperation on his face, even a little sadness.

"Come on Dave, it's not so bad," said Theodore comfortingly, giving his dad another hug, "You don't have to look so sad about it. You get to be young again!"

Theodore let go and the gang slowly headed for the back door of the house. Another thought came to Dave's mind and his ears arched back against his head, "Do you know why this is a bad thing?" he asked sadly. Everyone looked curiously back at him and shook their heads, "This means that I'm not old enough to be your adoptive father anymore..." The Chipmunks immediately saddened at that thought.

It was a silent walk back to the house, each chipmunk lost in his or her own thoughts. One by one, they crawled through the cat flap and trudged into the living room...But someone was already there.

"Hey guys! How's it going? Hey, who's your friend?"

_**Aw, nuts! **_

It was Toby Seville, Dave's cousin. The chipmunks just blinked in surprise. They hadn't seen Toby since he went off to a community college so he could get a decent job as a computer programmer ("What a nerd!" Brittany had commented when she read about it on Facebook.). He was also engaged to Julie Ortega, the chipmunks English and History teacher.

"H-hey-uh, Toby!" Alvin exclaimed with a stutter, quickly trying to come up with solution to this unexpected dilemma. He put on what he hoped was a winning smile and opened his arms in welcome, "Hi man, what a surprise! We haven't seen you in a while!" He faltered a little, "How (chuckles anxiously)-how did you get in?"

Toby grinned and explained while the gang jumped onto the sofa across from his arm chair, "I found the key under the rock where Dave always leaves it. I swear Dave takes the some rock from house to house. Where is my cousin anyway?"

"He's uh...He's in a meeting at Jett Records," Brittany replied, hoping he'd buy it. Everyone else nodded.

Toby frowned, "Dave's in a meeting at 10 o'clock on a Saturday morning?"

"Uh yeah, we're thinking about doing a tour in New Zealand. We haven't been there yet." Alvin said quickly. That was actually only a half-lie. They had been considering touring New Zealand and a few parts of Australia lately.

Toby seemed to have bought it, "Okay then, that's too bad. I was looking forward to seeing him." His attention returned to the anonymous black furred chipmunk sitting next to Alvin, "So who's this?"

It was lucky that Alvin was both a good liar and a quick thinker. He placed a paw on Dave's shoulder and announced, "Toby, this is the Chipette's cousin Ross."

_**(LOL that was just the first name that came to mind!)**_

It was even luckier that the Chipette's were good at hiding their emotions and were experts at playing along with Alvin's improvisations. While inwardly shocked, the girls planted smiles on their faces and nodded. Brittany even gave 'Ross' a small hug to make it seem more real. Dave did his best to play along too and did pretty well for an amateur (or so his kids thought he was)!

"That's cool, I didn't know there were more talking chipmunks than you six," said Toby sitting forward and reaching out his hand so 'Ross' could shake his finger, "So how you get here? Do you want to be a singer too?"

It was Dave's turn to lie, "I was injured a few months ago and an old couple took me in so I could recover. I spent most of my time in front of the television and I was ecstatic to see Britt, Jean and Ellie dancing on the screen at the International Music Awards. As soon as I could, I came to LA and eventually found them here."

"And do you want to be singer?"

"Singer? Me?" No, my voice is far too grainy for that!" That was actually true as well. The only test that Dave had failed was the singing test, causing a few busted ear drums along the way. Luckily, his more primitive fingers hadn't stunted his guitar and piano skills, "No, but Dave is letting me be sort of an intern and I can help him write songs and stuff."

"Well, that's nice of Dave to let you do that," Toby said.

The rest of the day was pretty awkward. Toby ended up staying for dinner. He wanted to know everything about 'Ross' seeing as he knew the other chipmunks pretty well. This kind of helped though, because by the time Toby left for home, they had the perfect cover story:

Ross was the Chipette's cousin on their dad's side. He was already a year old by the time they were born and he watched out for them after his aunt and uncle ran off. When he was 10 and the Chipettes were nine, he fell in love with a girl and ran off with her, but not before making sure the Chipettes could take care of themselves. After 3 years, Ross lost his girl to another chipmunk (not unlike Dave's real life) and by the time he'd reached the girls nest, they'd already gone to LA.

Ross travelled around for a few years until a few months ago when he was injured during a storm. Taken in by an old animal rescue couple, he recovered in their living room and saw his cousins on TV. Eventually, he made it to LA where he trailed rabid Chipmunk fans who gradually gave him the info he needed to find their house.

After a few episodes of the Simpsons, it was time to go to bed. Dave was still pretty dazed. This had been the weirdest day so far. As he said good night to everyone, Alvin took him aside, "Listen, Dave, before you go being all depressed about not being our dad anymore. I'd like you to know that it's not so bad."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that now you're closer to our age, you can now be our awesome surrogate brother or something. You just have to keep looking on the bright side of life," with that, Alvin gave him a huge bear hug then ran off to his bedroom. Dave smiled to himself as he walked down to his own room. He pulled on a pyjama top that Eleanor made him with one of his human sized shirts and settled into bed.

'_Alvin's right.' _He told himself as he curled into a ball again_, 'Maybe this isn't a bad thing after all...'_


	4. Loved By All:Homeroom

**Authors Note: OMG! Only three chapters and already 16 reviews! Awesome job guys, and I'm glad you're enjoying it.**

**Getting onto business, the next few chapters are going to be about Dave learning what it's like to be a chipmunk in high school. He's also going to learn about some issues his kids are dealing with and will do anything and everything he can to help them-even if it means detention! **

**Chapter 4: Loved By All-Homeroom**

Dave already hated today and it had barely even started. It was 7.58 am on a sunny Tuesday morning and teenagers were crowded around in groups on the grassy lawns out front of West Eastman High School. The chipmunks sat on the roots of a birch tree in the shade, discussing today's classes. It seemed to be a normal school day. And it would've been if it weren't for the fact that Dave was waiting with them!

But how did this happen? One answer: Toby.

On Saturday night after he went home, Toby was so excited to have met a new chipmunk, he was dying to tell Julie Ortega the good news. Of course, being the curious woman she was, Julie just had to meet 'Ross' for herself and came back with her boyfriend the very next day. So, the poor chipmunks and Dave had to tell the story over again, but this time, the conversation had turned to education (not a big surprise really, considering).

_**On Sunday afternoon...**_

"_So Ross, now that you've settled in, have you considered going to school?" asked Julie a little too eagerly. She adored having chipmunks in her classroom, so in her eyes, the more the merrier. Toby placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer as they snuggled together on the sofa, leaving the seven disgruntled and slightly annoyed chipmunks (who had been having a fun day til now) to bunch together on the armchair._

"_I really don't know, Ms Ortega," Dave replied, "I don't think I'd be able to keep up with so much to learn. Everybody would be so much smarter than me!"_

"_Of course, you'd be able to catch up. Your cousins and the Chipmunks would be more than happy to help out if you're having any trouble. Wouldn't you?" Julie asked the others, who sheepishly nodded in response," See? School isn't as hard as it sounds as long as you listen and give it a chance."_

_Spoken like a true teacher..._

_Dave gave a heavy sigh, "I don't know..." He really didn't want to go back for four months. He'd done his time, not to mention college as well!_

_But Julie wasn't giving him any other options, "Oh, you'll love it! I'll call Dr Ruben and see if she can interview you for a possible enrolment!"_

_**The next morning:**_

_Dave found himself sitting on Dr Ruben's desk in her office with Toby sitting on a chair just behind him. He really didn't want to be here, but it had to be better than sitting around at home moping that he can't do anything. He had even pretended that he had given 'Ross' permission to start school and to have this meeting with the principal. _

_Dr Ruben was a middle aged principal with a major Chipmunk obsession and bit of a wild side because of it. She reminded Dave of an eagle with the way her piercing eyes were barrelling down into his own. He couldn't help but feel completely creeped out by her adoring look as she took in the sight of the handsome chipmunk with sleek black fur._

"_So, Mr Miller..." Dr Ruben sighed, crossing her arms on the table and leaning forward, "As you are well aware of, our school has had great experiences in dealing with situations like yours. The Chipmunks and Chipettes have already been through the process and their grades are as high as any of our human students. We are well equipped to make this a successful transition."_

_Dave didn't really know how to reply, "Well, uh...that's always good to know!" He mentally slapped himself, "Uh, just one question though..."_

"_Well of course, ask away!" Dr Ruben smiled. In her eyes, Dave was grinning from ear to ear, jumping up and down with enthusiasm._

"_Do students get access to the music department during breaks?" Dave asked curiously. When he was still learning piano, Dave and his friends had been allowed to stay in and practice to their hearts content. He had always wondered of that wasn't allowed anymore. The kids had never needed to practice during school, so he never got to find out until now. _

"_If students can give a valid reason for doing so, than yes they can," Dr Ruben answered simply, "This school loves to provide as much opportunity as possible to anybody with a burning passion or a special talent." She paused while Dave pretended to think it through. Finally, she asked, "Well, what do you say? Do you want to become a part of the West Eastman Community?"_

_Dave nodded, "Sure. Why not..."_

"_Lovely!" the principal cried, excited to have gained another chipmunk student. _

_Within half an hour, the paperwork was done and 'Ross' was to start school the next day._

_**Back to the present...**_

And that's how Dave found himself sitting next to Theodore and going over his timetable just as the bell rang. The chipmunks bounded up the steps and into the hall, avoiding the massive footsteps of the bustling students. Alvin and Simon stayed close to Dave as they hurried to their lockers right beside the door to their homeroom. Dave was to share a locker with Alvin until his books were delivered. It was arranged that he had a class with at least one other chipmunk, which was a good thing; it hadn't even been 10 minutes and he had nearly been trodden on twice.

"They really don't notice you, do they?" He asked Simon as Alvin slammed his locker shut with a metallic thud.

Simon frowned and shook his head, "They were careful where they stepped when we first arrived, but soon enough they forgot about it." The boys walked into homeroom. "Better say hello to Ms Ortega. She'll want to introduce you to the class."

The homeroom was filled mostly with the football team, with a few cheerleaders and Chipmunk groupies. Everybody was bunched into their own little groups and nobody was in their seats. The moment Dave stepped into the classroom, he was practically slapped in the face was the overwhelming scents of deodorant and Clearasil. He looked to Theodore and could tell that he wasn't the only one feeling nauseous.

Dave and the boys hopped onto Julie's desk and greeted, "Good morning, Miss Ortega!" Julie looked down and immediately smiled.

"Good morning boys," She sang back. She turned to Dave, "Good morning Ross! Nervous about today?"

'Ross'shrugged, "A little." This was actually true. He felt almost as nervous today as he did on his first day in college. Once you've seen the place with a human perspective, an 11 inch chipmunk really did feel as if he was in the Land Of Giants. Suddenly, the bell rang, and everybody ran to their desks and settled down. Julie was obviously amused by this as she was smirking.

The chipmunks were still standing on her desk as the teacher marked the roll. Everybody hadn't yet noticed the dark stranger standing beside Simon. As Julie marked down the last person as present, she stood up and walked around to the front of her desk, "We have a new student with us today, class."

The humans looked confused and looked the room as if expecting to see a new person wearing a toga, baring in big black letters, 'NEW STUDENT! New Student!" A couple of jocks even looked to the door to see if anyone was standing in front of it, perhaps shaking with nervousness. But nobody was there. Everybody looked back to Julie, who was still smirking at the expected reaction. Deciding to help them out, she turned to the boys and pointed out 'Ross'. Everybody's eyes snapped to him and Dave felt like he was being x-rayed.

"I'd like to introduce you all to Ross Miller from Montecito," Julie announced, still pointing to Dave.

The reaction was simultaneous...

"OH MY GOD, IT'S ANOTHER CHIPMUNK!"

"Where did _he _come from?"

"I didn't know they could have black fur!"

"Aww, he's soo kay-yute!"

"Can he sing too?"

"Another one of those freakin' rats? He looks like a skunk."

"Shut up Ryan!"

Everybody jumped out of their seats and ran to the desk, just like on the Chipmunks first day. They all wanted to get a closer look at Ross, whose big brown eyes were widened and whose ears were upright with alarm and perhaps a little bit of fear too. He was glad that the other chipmunks were close by, making him feel a lot safer. Dave couldn't believe it, '_I thought Alvin was over exaggerating when he told me about their first day here. Are they really this popular?"_

Despite the giant bodies and faces pressing themselves into Dave's comfort zone, he put on a brave face and tried what he hoped was a charming smile. Obviously it worked, cause the girls closest to him 'awed' in his favour. A couple of the friendlier jocks stuck their hands in his face for him to shake their fingers, which, Dave being a gentleman did so politely. Still a little overwhelmed, Dave managed to stutter out a small, "H-hello!"

The Chipmunks rolled their eyes, although rather impressed with the way Dave was handling all the attention. Usually when Dave got this kind of attention from paparazzi, he either freaked out or lashed out angrily.

The little Ross love-fest continued until the bell rang. Dave was still shaking from that experience and groaned when he realised that he had to do it another 6 times today, not to mention lunch. Lunch would be a complete fiasco, because the news about the Chipettes cousin will have spread like wildfire by that time. I t was good to know that he was accepted, but how much adoration can one chipmunk take?

**The next chapter will be about the rest of his first day back, but don't expect it until next weekend. I've just started 10****th**** grade, so I'm a little preoccupied right now. But, I will be checking my emails, so if you have any ideas for a good prank on Ryan and his gang or anything else, write it in the reviews or send me a PM and I'll get back to you.**

**In the meantime, enjoy life and be kind to other people, cause you never know who'll be your boss!**


	5. A Force To Not Be Reckoned With!

**A/N: 20 reviews for 4 chapters! I don't think I've ever had a response like that before! Thanks to everybody for being so responsive and I apologise for the shortness of the last chapter.**

**So, this is part 2 of Dave's first day back at school. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: A Force To Not Be Reckoned With.**

Things were very much how Dave had expected things to turn out. The first class of the day was Science, the only subject the gang all had together. When Dave bounded into the room behind Brittany, everybody's reaction was no different to homeroom. The table he shared with Theodore and Eleanor was instantly surrounded by adoring girls, remarking how the Chipettes cousin was so cute. _'If only they had reacted like this 20 years ago, I'd have been married by now,' _Dave thought.

Alvin and Simon rolled their eyes as Dave unknowingly was putting on the charm. They knew that he wasn't doing it intentionally and will stop as soon as he realised that he was doing it. Besides, Dave was always stuck in the background and it was about time he had his time in the sunshine. Alvin, who used to relish in the limelight (still did, but not as much) smiled warmly as he watched Dave enjoying himself.

The Science lesson went along without much of a hitch. They were currently extending their learning of the elements and their chemical reactions. Dave had never really paid attention in this subject and he wasn't about to start now. Instead, in between taking notes, he observed what he kids were getting up to. Simon and Jeanette were, of course, hanging on to every word Mr Johnson said like their lives depended on it. Simon's pen was flying across his notebook so fast it looked like a blur.

Then, Dave looked over his shoulder to the table behind him. Alvin seemed to be taking notes, but Dave could see that he was really just creating a design for his dream guitar. Alvin felt eyes watching him and suspiciously looked up to see Dave smirking. _"Do your work!" _Dave mouthed and playfully sent him a stern look. Alvin silently laughed before going back to his design. Dave rolled his eyes before looking at Brittany.

She wasn't paying attention either and seemed to be sketching something on her own notebook. She kept taking sheepish looks in between drawing. She was trying to hide it, but Dave's new perceptive eyesight allowed him to see the secret drawing. It was a pink love heart with 'Alvin' placed in the middle. Dave smirked again as Brittany shot a quick glance at her counterpart and smiled lovingly.

'_Are they ever going to admit their feelings?' _He asked himself. Anybody who knew Dave seemed to think that he didn't want his kids to get too close and become couples, but that couldn't be further from the truth! He just wanted them to be happy and if that meant falling for each other, then so be it. He was actually a little jealous that his boys had found the true loves so easily...and they were only 13 at the time!

He just sighed and turned his attention back to the teacher. By lunchtime, more students 'discovered' Ross and the news had finally spread like the plague. Everybody was talking about the Chipettes cousin. Just like Toby and Julie, people started bombarding Dave and the gang with questions about where this mysterious black chipmunk had come from.

Dave was quickly becoming sick of telling the story, but stayed in a polite and charming mood. His charming skills were nothing like Alvin's, who was prone to talking French and finger kissing. Dave just seemed to have a certain quality to him that the curious students seemed to like. He was being completely normal; kind, polite and stuttered around girls. But as a chipmunk, all it took was a swish of a tail and a toothy smile and everybody was putty in his hands. To him, it was like having a superpower.

After an English and History lesson, both with Julie, everybody headed to the cafeteria for lunch and darted toward the table in the corner. Simon waited behind to save the table while the rest went to get their food. Once they came back, Alvin and Simon started a heated argument that sent everyone else cracking up on their trays. Everything was going fine...until Ryan and Jeremy turned up.

Dave looked alarmed as the Chipmunks suddenly started growling and arched their ears menacingly, all three backing in front of their counterparts. Dave slowly put the grape he was about to eat down, wondering whether or not to join the boys. Ryan was sneering at Dave with a face that made his fur ruffle up. For the first time since becoming a chipmunk, he felt a sense of cold dread and knew his instincts were telling him that this was a person not to be trusted for anything.

Both Ryan and Jeremy were giving off bad vibes and Dave didn't like their dominant body language. Ryan bent down to the black chipmunk's level and jeered, "I see you've made yourself at home. Everybody is talking about the new rat in town."

The Chipmunks started growling again, but a look from Dave shut them up. He stepped forward and asked, "What's it to you?"

Jeremy smirked, "We're just wondering why anyone would be pleased to have yet another flea infested rodent in this joint. Especially, one that looks like a demented skunk!"

Dave snarled. He was perfectly aware of what these morons had been doing to his boy's every chance they had. Swirlies, name calling and pranks were things that Dave did not take lightly and never punished Alvin harshly for getting revenge. He was only sticking up for his brothers and friends after all. Dave remembered pranking the hell out of Buzz Polanski and his friends for sending Ian Hawke up a flag pole with no pants on.

"Why don't you leave Ross alone?" snarled Brittany, pushing her way past Alvin and placing her paws on her hips.

"Exactly! In fact, why don't you go to the gym! The dodge ball team has needed new targets and your heads are the perfect size!" Simon added, making the rest laugh. "But that's only if they don't hit your ego's first!"

By now, the students at nearby tables had started to watch. The feud between the chipmunks and the jocks had become a spectator event over the past couple of terms. It was another reason why the chipmunks were so popular; nobody else knew how to stand up to Ryan. Dave was determined to prove that he was no different.

Ryan was now looking furious, but the chipmunks didn't even falter under his deadly gaze. He moved forward so that he and Dave were nose to nose and whispered dangerously, "I don't care who you are or who your disgusting friends are. Step over the line once, and you'll wish you had stayed in the forest!"

"Is that so?" Dave whispered back in the same tone. Ryan nodded so Dave snarled, "Well then let me tell you this: I couldn't give a freakin' damn about what you do to me, but mess with my cousins and friends again, and I'll make your life such a misery that you'll lock yourself in a toilet and blubber for months!"

The rest of the gang smiled, knowing that despite his reduced age, Dave's paternal instincts had only strengthened with his new form. Ryan looked even more furious and Jeremy advanced on the table too, but Dave's protective stance never quavered. His ears were back against his head, his hackles were raised, his long tail whipped the air and a soft growl was bubbling in his throat.

Realising that 'Ross' was not kidding and meant every word, Ryan backed off and stood upright, Jeremy right beside him. Without saying another word, the jocks scoffed and stalked off, leaving behind seven satisfied chipmunks. The tables surrounding them applauded and to his very own surprise, Dave bowed graciously.

But everyone knew that this tiny face-off was only the beginning of something bigger...

_****_

Unfortunately, the rest of the day's lessons contained either Ryan or his other friend, Xander. During cooking, a couple of spit balls had been aimed at Theodore until Alvin took the liberty of biting Ryan's ankles, much to Dave's amusement. From this moment until Dave was human again, he was going to go with the flow. If he had to get his prankster on, then he would. If he had to take control, then so be it!

The chipmunks arrived home in a happy enough moods and decided to put off their homework until after the sun went down. They sat outside, enjoying the soft breeze flowing through their fur. Eleanor and Theodore lay on their stomachs side by side as they looked through their cookbook. Theodore kept whispering into his beloved's ear and she smiled warmly and kissed him on the cheek.

Dave looked over to Simon and Jeanette sitting against the oak tree. They were grasping each other's paws tenderly while talking softly. Simon smiled and rubbed his cheek against Jeanette's affectionately, which she seemed to like and did it back. They leaned into each other and continued like that for a while. Dave was a little confused. He had never seen it before.

Alvin walked over to him smirking. Dave's head was tilted in curiosity, so she decided to ask, "Wondering what that's all about?"

Dave turned to him, "Usually a couple just kisses to show they love each other. It'd look weird for humans to do that."

Alvin nodded, "Yeah. Nuzzling means more to us than kissing does. That's just a human thing we do to fit in a little more. Nuzzling the one we love shows not only affection, but gives an indication to a chance of mateship later on in life," He sighed, looking over at Brittany, "Usually, chipmunks meet their future mates by the age of 16, but some are lucky enough to get a head start."

Dave frowned. Alvin was supposed to be the 'Love Doctor' and he actually kind of was. He had given some great advice to his brothers and to Dave on few occasions. But it seems the one person his advice had never worked for was himself. Why did Brittany turn him into such a nervous wreck?

Alvin sighed again, "Anyway, at least Simon and Theodore don't have to fend off rival males. Those fights can turn rather nasty." Dave could see mischief suddenly fill Alvin's golden eyes.

Dave became rather alert as he asked, "How do you fight?" He wished he hadn't asked...

Dave was sent flying to the ground as Alvin pinned him, "Rough! How else?"

Dave returned Alvin's grin before flipping him off. The two males growled playfully and circled each other before lowering into a pouncing position. They both leapt at the same time, but Alvin went down low and tackled Dave in the stomach. Dave landed on his back with an, 'Oof!" Alvin laughed and did a victory dance, much to Brittany's amusement. Dave slowly rolled onto all fours and stalked forward, Alvin's back to him. Brittany watched as Dave crept up into the perfect position, signalled for her to stay quiet and pounced.

The other two couples turned their attention to the roughhousing as the force of Dave's tackle sent Alvin onto the ground. They both laughed out loud and continued to brawl. Soon enough Simon and Theodore joined in, wanting to challenge their father figure too. The girls were cheering for their counterparts, but soon enough it was clear who the dominant male in this clan was. Dave wasn't as muscular as Alvin, but he was a quick learner and already knew the boys weaknesses. In the end, the Chipmunks surrendered and they went inside for dinner.

Dave replayed the whole day in his head as he tried to drift off. Ryan and his friends were already a pain in the ass and that was just Dave's first encounter with them. School hadn't changed much, except that he was adored this time around. Last, but not least, Alvin and Brittany seriously needed help to find each other's warmth and love before they gave up on each other.

'_Things need to change around here," _Dave told himself as he closed his eyes_, 'I wonder if I can be the one to change it..."_


	6. Embracing the True Animal

**Author's Notes: I'm digging a bit deeper a bit earlier than I expected. Again this chapter is a bit short, but remember I only have little timeslots to write all this.**

**This is another part 1. This'll happen a lot in this story, unfortunately.**

**Chapter Six: Embracing the True Animal.**

It quickly became obvious to Dave that the first problem he had to solve was this stupid feud with the even stupider jocks. Despite threats from both sides, Ryan and his gang weren't intending on calling it quits anytime soon. During the rest of the week, poor Simon had been caught up twice and ended up in the toilet bowl, Brittany had been subjected to horrible rumours made up by Xander's girlfriend, Alvin was shoved into his locker and poor Jeanette and Eleanor had copped whipped cream in the face during a cooking lesson. Even Dave had been stuffed in the bell of a tuba and had to yell for help.

Everybody involved had been punished, but what good would that do? It certainly hasn't worked before. Besides, they hadn't even picked on Theodore yet! The chipmunks immediately took precautions to protect the youngest Chipmunk from humiliation. Dave and Alvin accompanied him to classes while Eleanor and Brittany kept a close eye on the gangs' whereabouts. Simon and Jeanette on the other hand, were too busy trying to plan a formula, so Dave could go back to normal. They had been taking every chance they could.

It wasn't until Friday that the Jocks made their move. Dave had walked out of Music, obviously his favourite class, to head off to the cafeteria for lunch when Alvin came skidding to a halt in front of him looking frantic, "Have you seen Theodore?" I can't find him!"

Dave's stomach lurched in dread, "No, I haven't! Weren't you and Theo in Maths together?" They set off down the corridor and took a left to where their lockers were. Perhaps Theodore had been locked in his locker like Alvin had.

Alvin nodded," Yes, but our teacher wanted to talk to my about my homework and I had to stay back. I thought Theo would just wait for me!"

Dave's ears pinned back as he said,"And what? Miss the lunch rush? I doubt he would ev-"

But a high pitched yell caught their attention. Alvin stopped in his tracks, causing Dave to collide into him from behind. They toppled to the floor, ears still flickering, perked in alarm, trying to detect the direction of the yell. Dave could hear soft laughter that he never would've picked up with his human hearing. Both chipmunks at the same time realised that it was coming from behind the gymnasium. They came to a silent conclusion and darted back down the hallway, drifted around the corner and tore out of the doorway into the grounds.

Students looked startled by the two little blurs speeding around them towards the outskirts of the gymnasium. They bypassed Becca Kingston and her friends seated around a lunch table, all of them concerned by the urgency. A few seconds later, they reached the dreaded bully zone and what they saw made Dave's blood boil:

Ryan, Jeremy, Xander, his girlfriend Duffy, Matthew Jordan and Luke Hardy were kicking around a foot ball. This would've looked completely innocent except for the fact that they were laughing and the football itself was screaming its head off at a pitch that no human could ever hear. The footballs stitching had been ripped open and stuffed with something lumpy. And Lumpy was calling, "Let me go! Get me outta here! Someone help me! Please!"

As soon as he completely registered the scene, Dave filled up with such anger that he had never felt before. His hackles (the fur on his back), stuck up like razor blades as he got down low, his teeth were more like fangs as he bared them and growled like a ferocious Jack Russell. His normally calm brown eyes liquidized as his pupils became a little more like slits. How dare they? How dare they treat his son like that? How dare they touch him even though he has never done a thing to deserve it?

This time, the humans had pushed it too far. And after only two weeks, Dave lost himself for the first time.

Dave looked to Alvin, who was in the same antagonised stance: teeth bared, hackles raised and growling like a miniature tiger. Dave had never seen his eldest son so angry or protective. Dave caught the red clad chipmunks' eye and they mentally decided what to do. Alvin was eyeing Ryan with the look of a cannibal, while Dave watched the football that was now in his hand. They both stalked forward and simultaneously pounced!

The jocks hadn't noticed the chipmunks, so they cried out in surprise when their ringleaders face was attacked by a savage red and brown blur. The black and white blur purposely collided with the foot ball and hit the ground on his feet. Dave leapt next to the ball and ripped into it, tooth and claw, until it was in a million pieces. Theodore fell out and embraced the protective chipmunk, bruised and battered. Dave checked him over before taking him by the arm and dragging him out of the limelight, scratching the crap out of any hands that tried to grab him.

"Where are we going?" asked Theodore weakly, he was clearly shaken over the ordeal and gasped in fright when he saw the murderous look on his father's face. Dave said nothing. They came out into the main area and Dave dragged Theodore over to Becca's table, where Eleanor was chatting with Brittany. Becca looked down and gasped at the sight of her little green clad friend, immediately picking him up.

"Oh my God! What happened to you?" she exclaimed. Eleanor and Brittany cried out in shock and ran to Theodore's aid. He embraced his girlfriend and started to break down as he explained. Dave had already scrambled back to Alvin's aide.

"I had just put my books back into my locker and closed the door, when somebody grabbed me! They blinded me in with their hands and next thing I know, I'm stuffed inside a football and they're kicking it high into the air!" Suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, Theodore let go of Eleanor and ran to the side of the table to vomit over the side. Everybody cringed in disgust, but didn't say anything to hurt him.

"I can't believe this! Of all the horrible things they could do!" snarled Brittany. She looked over to Becca, "Could you take Theo and Ellie to the nurse's office? I'll go and get a teacher to put an end to this!" Becca nodded and everybody set off in different directions.

Meanwhile back in the war zone, everybody besides Ryan and Xander had escaped from Alvin and Dave's claws. After five minutes, the two chipmunks had the two jocks backed against the wall, cowering in fright. Ryan had several cuts and scratches across his fore head and cheeks and his nose and ears were bleeding from where Alvin had bit him. Xander had been Dave's target after the moron tried to pull at his tail. His t-shirt was in the same state as his arms, torn with gashes and bleeding slowly. His face hadn't copped as much damage as Ryan's, but I think that Dave had made his point quite clear.

As Dave stared the humans down with eyes worthy of a vengeful eagle and a growl tinged breath, his conscious was having major power struggle with his instincts. All this time, while he tore into Xander, the voice of his human side was telling him that this was wrong. On the other hand, an even bigger, more inviting voice told him, _"Go for it Dave! Show the human whose boss! He deserves it! Protect your kids! Atta boy David, you're doing great!" _

Who should he listen to?

He never got to answer his own question though, because Julie Ortega and Mr. Benson, a.k.a 'The Pitbull' came skidding around the corner with Brittany, Simon and Jeanette in tow. They all stared at the scene for a moment. The teachers observed the jocks injuries, before Julie came forward and plucked the chipmunks off the ground staring them dead in the eye. Neither of the boys looked at her or each other. They knew that she was pretty pissed off. The Pitbull moved over to the jocks.

Alvin looked over to Simon and the others. There was no sign of resentment in any of their eyes. Seeing their faces calmed him and Dave down a little. They stopped growling and retracted their claws. Their hackles were falling back into place as they hung limply in Julie grasp. A moment later, Dr Ruben strode into view and the attention was turned to her.

She only said one thing, "My office. _Now_."

_****_

A horrible afternoon followed. Seeing as Dave was 'unavailable to answer his phone', Toby was called in. Dr Ruben called in the witnesses first for an interview. Becca, Brittany and Eleanor explained their side of it while other students explained how they saw Dave and Alvin racing toward the bully zone. Then Theodore and the two boys were called in so Theodore could explain how they were only rescuing him and didn't really want to have to attack anybody. Finally, the two jocks were brought in with their parents to confront Theodore and apologise.

But nobody was getting off easy. After a whole bunch of discussing and arguing _**(which I can't be stuffed writing about) **_the sentences were announced. Ryan, Xander and everybody else who had kicked Theodore around were subjected to two weeks of interschool suspension. They would all sit in a conference room near Dr. Rubens office and sit in complete silence until school was over. If anyone spoke, that person copped an extra day.

Dave and Alvin were let off a little easier as they were only sticking up for a family member; Lunch time detention for two weeks and writing lines about hurting other students. So they arrived home feeling relieved that is wasn't something much worse. Dr Ruben had been known for suspending a student just for scribbling graffiti in a toilet cubicle.

After a silent dinner, Theodore went straight to bed on Dave's orders. The poor little guy was extremely sore and tired. Everybody was worried about how this day would affect his newly found confidence. Dave had sat down to have a chat with him, to offer condolence and comfort, but Theodore didn't say much or even except a hug. That's when Dave really got worried.

But something else was bugging him. That same voice that was told him to attack Xander seemed to have won the battle against his conscious and was lording pompously over his mind. Could this voice be a good thing? Dave had a feeling that his transition into a chipmunk had been completed. His instincts had completely taken over. But why did an act of violence complete the cycle? Was it such a bad thing? After all, Simon did keep telling him to trust these ever intruding thoughts.

Dave ran his fingers wearily through the scruff of fur on his head and sighed. He lay back on the couch, ignoring the TV entirely.

He felt really bad about today, so that means that his human side had to be there somewhere, right? But he's instincts are telling him that he did the right thing and was supposed to be listening to them only. Or was he? Was he meant to fight for the guy he's supposed to be, but Simon didn't tell him as that's something he's got to work out himself? Could he only be one or could he find a balance? Perhaps his instincts only come out when he's feeling angry. Does that mean he was prone to violent episodes?

And add the fact that Dave was only 16, but he still acted like a father towards people who were the same age as him and...Oh, screw it. This is way too confusing to work out a 9 o'clock on a Friday night!

_**To be continued next chapter. Probably on Wednesday!**_

**I'm still open for ideas from valued readers...except for you! **


	7. Embracing the True Animal Part 2

**Authors Notes: Hey, hey, hey my little demons! Welcome back to Hell, where the evil is free, but the senility will cost you!**

**Anyway, here's chapter seven, dedicated to people with no sense of intelligence...You know who you are!**

**Chapter Seven: Embracing the True Animal Part 2.**

"I don't care what you say; I let him win that time!"

"You did not Simon, Dave won fair and square!" Jeanette said with a giggle. She pulled him close in a hug.

It was Sunday and most of the chipmunks were all in the backyard again, catching up on homework. Alvin and Brittany were leaning against the tree trunk, having an awkward conversation as Alvin tried to pluck up the courage to ask her out. Theodore and Eleanor had a Science assignment to work on together, doing so up near the lush vegetable garden. Jeanette and Simon had obviously finished and were down in the lab, checking up on the reversal solution for Dave. It still had three and a half months until it was ready, so nobody was expecting things to go back to normal anytime soon.

Simon was still scoffing over a dominance match against Dave earlier that morning. The two were arguing over who was the smartest person to ever live out of Einstein or Edison (don't ask why are how that even started). To no one's surprise, the two males were tossing each other into the grass, everybody else ignoring the scene in front of them. Dave was a little weaker than Alvin, but he overpowered Simon quickly and efficiently.

"But he didn't even play to the rules!" Simon protested, making Jeanette roll her eyes as she let go of him and observed the solution a little closer. Scowling, Simon crossed his arms and huffed, "What he did to win was both immoral and annoying!"

"Would you just get over it?"

"No!'

Jeanette sighed heavily, "So he took your glasses while you guard was down! He was only playing to your weakness! Any good fighter always knows something about his challenger!"

"It's still not fair!" Simon was sounding like a little child. Jeanette sighed again, but smiled warmly as she slid out of her purple lab coat.

Jeanette walked back over to the still pouting Simon who was sliding out of his own blue lab coat. They tossed them on the floor next to them and Jeanette wrapped her arms around her counterparts neck, talking in a soft, sweet tone that she knew made Simon melt, "Aww, Come on Si-Si, don't be a grouch. You know that Dave's still mentally adjusting to his new form at the moment. His aggressive phrase will wear out in a week and by then hopefully he'll have accepted his new mindset by then."

There was a moment of silence as Jeanette rested her head on Simon's shoulder. His angered breathing had calmed down and he didn't sound as annoyed as he spoke. In fact, he sounded concerned, "I'm worried Jeanie. I have a feeling that he has no idea what's happening to him. He's been so distant with all of us since Friday and every time I look at him, he doesn't seem to be all there."

"I know Si. I've noticed it too," Jeanette replied, "Maybe all he needs is one of us to talk with him."

Simon nodded. He rested his head on Jeanette's and inhaled her delicious chocolate scent, murmuring in her ear, "I know. I'll do it right after lunch."

"Why after lunch?" asked Jeanette surprised. Simon answered by hugging her waist and nuzzling her neck. She giggled as she nuzzled him back, knowing exactly what was going to happen. They leapt off the work bench and Simon lifted her off her feet, bridle style, carrying her over to the decently sized bean bag. He placed her gently on her back, her light weight barely making an impact on the bean bag, before clambering over the top of her. He leaned down and sensually nuzzled her again, this time sending a chill down her spine. Jeanette moaned softly.

"Is _he_ back?" she whispered breathlessly.

Simon caressed her curves, "_Mon cher,vous êtes l'essencecomplètede la beauté.Montronsl'universpourquoi ilnous a réunisdans lesliens d'amouravec noscrisde la passion."_

Simone was back...and not for the first time either...

Looks like Simon had found the perfect balance of his own mental problems...

_**(Bow chicka wow wow! Simone isn't fully gone after all! Just to let you know, this is the main Simonette storyline. But let me make this very clear, okay? Jeanette is NOT; notice the emphasis on 'not', going to be pregnant at any point of this story**_. _**They do get down and dirty, but that's to show just how close they actually are. No one knows that they are fully mates.)**_

_**Outside...**_

While the Smart Couple were giving each other a very intimate physical, Dave was gazing up at the clouds. He lay on a small hill in a paddock (or field for you American readers), just behind the back yard. Yet again, he was lost in thought. His eyes were glazed over as his tail slowly wound and unwound around his feet. It certainly was a beautiful day, not that the should-be human noticed.

As far as his confusing problem goes, Dave had gone a very adult thing and decided to let it run its course for the time being. Too many other things were happening with his kids to be worrying about his own piddly-ass problems. He was supposed to be a father and still wanted to be now, despite his reduced age. As far as he was concerned, he was still 34 and that was good enough for him.

There was no denying that he was definitely a fully fledged chipmunk. On Saturday morning, after he had taken a shower, he looked in the mirror and instead of cringing in horror, he had stuck his chest out, lashed his tail like a whip and said to himself, "Good morning, David, you sexy beast!"

Then he wandered if the chipmunk DNA that Simon put in that stupid solution had been Alvin's...

Aside from that disturbing thought (cough, cough), Dave found himself relishing in a whole new world of scents, sights and sounds; The SSS of the amazing world of rodents. Never has the scent of food smelled so enticing that you drool all over the table cloth, never have colours looked so bright and definitive that a rainbow looks inferior in perspective. Never before has the sound of Ryan crashing into a brick wall sounded so hilarious.

Dave had to admit, even after only 3 weeks, he had noticed just how cruel humans can be. When he watched the evening news, it made him sick to hear about murders and robberies and terrorism. How did they end up like this? What makes a humans mind tick with such a careless and selfish attitude to the world around them? They are awful, horrible creatures that only care about themselves and don't give a damn to what happens to nature around them.

Dave could see through all the pathetic human 'morals' and was seeing more than he cared to. It's no wonder humans don't care; they just don't see the world the way animals do. If only they could see it the way Dave could now. Everything was so much more profound and all nature gleamed in beautiful lush colours that even the world's best artist couldn't dream of. Everything human-made looks shabby and pointless when you're eleven inches tall. Perhaps, if humans could see in this aspect, they would be more considerate about the environment.

As these thoughts raced through Dave's head, he didn't notice the blonde furred chipmunk walk up behind his head. The chipmunk looked down at the zoned out chipmunk and prodded him with a toe. Dave yelped in surprise, jumping three feet in the air before landing on the ground like a startled cat. He growled menacingly, his mind still rushing at a million miles an hour, before registering the sight of a very frightened Theodore.

"Oh Theodore! Thank God, it's just you!" Dave panted. He straightened up and awkwardly retracted his claws, "Don't scare me like that, I was completely spaced out. What do you want?"

Still a little scared of his father's mood swings, Theodore stammered, "I-I just want t-to talk to you. That's all!"

Dave softened and immediately went into father-mode, "Well, of course we can talk! Here pull up a patch of grass." He sat back down and calmly gestured for Theodore to join him. Once sure that Dave had calmed down, Theodore sat across from him, pulling his knees up to his chest. He looked sheepish and was giving off guilty vibes. Curious as to why, Dave said softly, "You look like something is on your mind."

Theodore stared at his toes and nodded. He couldn't seem to look Dave in the eye. He sighed, "I'm sorry about Friday, Dave. It's my fault that you and Alvin have detention."

Dave was dumbfounded. He was apologising? Whatever for? "Theodore, why are you apologising for something that Ryan and his band of gorillas did to you?"

The young man sniffed and whispered sadly, "Because if I hadn't have been caught, you never would have had to attack them."

"Theo," Dave cried incredulously. He almost felt like shaking some sense into the boy, "You cannot blame yourself for my actions, okay? Alvin and I acted out like that of our own free will. Alvin's your big brother, who's been looking out for you since you were a baby. I'm your Dad; I would never let you suffer. We love you and will do anything for you, even if that means we get in trouble. Two weeks of detention is totally worth putting your safety first!"

Theodore looked up and met Dave's gaze. Dave's deep brown eyes were full of sympathy and amusement; Theodore couldn't help but match Dave's warm and adoring smile. "Do you mean it Dave?"

"Would I lie to you?" asked Dave confidently. Theodore pretended to think about it, making Dave bark with laughter. They were grinning now. Dave pulled Theodore into a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"You little rascal! You're becoming another Alvin, I swear to God!" Dave cried, pushing the green clad chipmunk over.

Theodore laughed with delight as the two started to play fight, this time with no aggression involved. Theodore was stronger than he looked, managing to pin down his a father a couple of times and tackling him without breaking a sweat. They messed around for an hour as it reached midday; both were panting with exhaustion and decided to head back to the house for lunch. But Theodore had a question.

"Hey, Dave?" inquired Theodore as they bypassed the vegetable patch, Dave looked at him. "If I was a human, do you think I could beat Ryan or Jeremy in a fight?

Dave chuckled and threw an arm around his shoulders, "Theodore, if you were a human, you'd scare the both of them just by looking at them!"

The rest of the clan was greeted by laughter as they gallivanted into the kitchen. Eleanor leaped off the table and joined her boyfriend, looking confused, but relieved that her Teddy was much happier then of recent. Alvin and Brittany smiled from the milkshake they were sharing with two straws. Perhaps Alvin had made a bit of progress with his nervousness. Jeanette and Simon were sitting together, looking worn out, but seemed to have erased any hints of what had happened earlier.

"You two seem happier. Yesterday, you were like a couple of zombies!" Alvin remarked. Brittany giggled and playfully hit him in the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Theodore sighed, "We were pretty down about Friday, but hey, and that's life isn't it?"

"It sure is!" Everyone chimed in union and laughed, "Crap happens! Deal with it and tunnel on!"

Being a Seville is the equivalent of life in prison; once you become one, you're stuck til the very end. This was crazy family with a crazy career that crazy things happened to. Crazy runs in your veins, in your mind and in your heart. Crazy is the essence of every conversation and adventure. Once you're use to it, you learn to keep marching on no matter what happens. Crazy is everything!

Feeling lighter than he had in days, Dave approached the rest of the day happily and lightly, unknowing of the danger soon to come..

_**A/N: Aw, hell nuh! The crazy chicks back! And the four-eyed jerk is back with him!**_

_**Tell me what you think and answer this for me; if Dave was to fall in love in this story would you rather:**_

_**Vinny came along and he fell for her.**_

_**He starts falling for Brittany and competes against Alvin for her affections.**_

_**Or C) I create a Chipette just for him and he falls for her.**_


	8. A Talk and a Deal

**Author's Note: Looks like I can write this a little sooner. It's a lot shorter and full of talking, but it's going to set up the next few chapters where something bad is going to happen. Trust me, the wait is worth it.**

**Chapter 8: A Talk and a Deal **

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

This sucked.

And I mean, well and truly sucked. The clock seemed to go at half the speed as Dave and Alvin sat in the empty classroom to endure detention. Julie was sitting in the office just outside of the room and looked in on them every now and again to make sure that they were still writing lines. This was the third day that the two males were in here while the others enjoyed the spring weather outside. Over and over again, Dave wrote with an aching paw, "Violence is never the answer. Violence is never the answer."

It was silent apart from the sound of two scratching pencils against the paper. It wasn't all bad though. In fact, this was the opportunity that Dave had been hoping for to have a private chat with his eldest son. They were allowed to talk. Granted, this was the last place he wanted to have this conversation, but at least Brittany was nowhere in sight.

Dave peered over at Alvin, who calmly wrote the message over and over, quite used to the detention routine and didn't seem fussed about it. Cautiously, he averted his gaze over at the door to make sure no one was around before clearing his throat, "Alvin?"

Alvin's head snapped up in a flash, gazing at his father questioningly, "Yeah Dave? What's up?"

"Can I ask you something?" Dave asked.

"You just did," Alvin pointed out. Dave rolled his eyes. Alvin chuckled, "Just messing with you. Go on, shoot."

"When are you going to admit your feelings to Brittany? You brother's have managed to do it, so why not you?" Dave asked curiously. Alvin looked taken aback. Obviously he never expected Dave to ever say anything about it.

"W-hat d-d-do you mean? I-I don't have any feelings for-" Alvin spluttered. Dave couldn't help but laugh.

"Alvin, seriously it is that obvious! You reek of desperation every time she's near you!"

"I-I do!"

"Well...yeah! I may suck at relationships, but I can tell when somebody's in love. And just to let you know, I'm pretty sure she likes you too!" Dave exclaimed.

That did it. Alvin jumped off his desk and onto Dave's, looking as though he had just been blessed by Jesus Christ. But that look immediately became serious as he stood on his hind legs and slapped his paws on Dave shoulders. Alvin growled, "David. Seville. You. Better. Not. Be. Lying. To. Me!"

"I swear I'm not!" Dave cried, throwing his paws up in the air in defence. Alvin immediately grinned and released Dave, the Mother Teresa look returned to his face. He looked as if he was in heaven.

So she liked him did she? That's the best news Alvin had heard in a long time. On Saturday, he had started some small talk with Brittany in the hopes that the conversation would turn into a romantic sort of thing. They had discussed how they thought the relationships between their siblings were going, providing ample opportunities for Alvin to ask the pink-clad Chipette out. Unfortunately, while Alvin's heart was definitely in it, his courage just wasn't there anymore. It was probably the only bad thing about his new personality.

Hearing Dave say that gave him a brand new hope. Alvin sighed; now he couldn't get her off his mind. She was more than perfect; her electric blue eyes sparkled even in darkness, her sleek and shiny auburn fur never looked messy, her body was slim, but still curvy and he loved the way her long tail would sometimes curl around his. He thought of her stubborn, sassy, independent attitude he'd come to love and how her strong voice always seemed to reflect that, even when she was singing. He could he _not _want a woman like her?

Alvin was snapped out of his thoughts as Dave chuckled. He gave a death glare as Dave asked, "You're thinking about her right now aren't you?"

Alvin continued to glare daggers at him, but nodded all the same, "She's always on my mind," he admitted, "I just wish I wasn't such a chicken all the time. We could've been dating for months by now." He sighed heavily and his ears arched sadly. "What am I gonna do Dave? If what you said is true, then I can't make her wait for me can I?"

Dave shook his head, "No, you can't. That's why everybody is willing to help you if you need it. And, trust me, you seriously do need it. I know that I can't talk because of my horrible dating history, but even I can do something to nudge Brittany your way." Dave explained.

"What could you do to help me?" Alvin asked.

"Well, the Valentine's Day ball is coming up soon, "Dave started, "Which means that she'll be hoping that you'll ask her to be your date. So, let me ask you this; why do you get so nervous around her?"

Alvin thought about it for a second before answering. "Well, I guess I just don't want to embarrass myself in front of her, which I'll admit is weird, seeing as I've done it a million times. I don't mind it so much when we're alone, but that never happens because we've always been surrounded by our siblings and friends-"

"That's it?" Dave asked incredulously, he looked appalled at this realisation, "That's the reason why you've been holding back? You don't want to embarrass yourself in public?"

Alvin looked defensive, "Dave, I have a reputation to uphold and if anybody saw just how mushy I could be-"

"Screw your stupid reputation!" Dave exclaimed, "Brittany mustn't mean anything to you if you're holding back because of that!"

"Brittany means more to me than anything in the world?" Alvin snapped back, his eyes narrowed in anger, "I love her, okay?"

"Then show her that you do!" Dave cried in exasperation. This was ridiculous, "Use those feelings as your courage. Who cares who is watching while you do? Scream it out loud from the rooftops if you have to! Just do it!"

There was silence as the two chipmunks stared at each other, lost in their own thoughts for a moment. Dave's right, Alvin was being an idiot for the way he was handling things. It was time to get real and grow a set. The look of confusion and anger ebbed away on Alvin face as it was replaced by understanding and a confident smile creeped up. Dave grinned knowingly in response.

"Your right Dave, "Alvin admitted slowly, "I need to show her how I feel. I'll ask her to the Valentine's Day Ball."

Dave's grin widened, "Good for you. She'll definitely say yes, I assure you."

Suddenly, a human voice popped out of nowhere, causing the two chipmunks to nearly jump out of their fur, "Speaking of the up and coming ball, I have a deal for you two." Dr. Ruben came strutting into the room, looking like she meant business. Alvin quickly leapt back to his assigned table. How much had the principal heard?

"And what is the deal, Dr Ruben?" Dave asked politely, noticing Alvin's look of repressed embarrassment. Ruben looked down at the pale-blue clad chipmunk.

"Would you like the opportunity to take a week off your detention?" asked Ruben, already knowing the answer.

"Is that a trick question?" Alvin asked a little rudely. Dave sent him a warning look, but Alvin ignored it.

"No, Mr. Seville, it's not a quick question," Ruben replied shortly, "It's a proposition. I'm offering you the opportunity to change the rest of your detentions into rehearsals if you agree to perform an opening song to get everyone pumped for the DJ."

"That sounds fair enough," Dave said, "Which song?"

"I want an original song, not a cover version of an already existing one, Mr. Miller," Ruben requested, "Something fun and romantic, but I won't stand for any of that techno/ dub-step rubbish. Instrumental only."

A song writing challenge, huh? Bring it on! "We'll see if Dave can come up with something then. He's good at writing songs on short notice," 'Ross' said, reminiscing on his 'Witch Doctor' accomplishment back in 2007.

"Sounds good," replied Ruben happily, "So it's settled then. You will spend until Friday planning on what you'll require to perform and then from Monday you'll rehearse in the auditorium. I expect to see progress, or the deals off."

And as quickly as she came, Dr Ruben strode back out of the classroom and out of sight. Dave heard Alvin growl under his breath as he glared daggers at the doorway, "Can you believe her? That's the fourth time she's conned us into performing since we got here!"

"Well, you have to admit, it beats writing lines," Dave replied, looking on the bright side.

Alvin groaned and face-palmed. Dave laughed lightly; he'd never understand why the red-clad chipmunk hated performing for his school!

**A/N: A short chapter, but a good one I hope. Something's-a-brewing behind the scenes. The jocks have had their fun with the Chipmunks, but which Chipette is going to cop it from the cheerleaders?**


	9. Wins and Near Losses

**Chapter 9: Wins and Near Losses**

"Brittany! Brittany! Talk to me, please!"

"Al-vin..."

Brittany's wet body ached as she lay sprawled on the concrete, she could barely see a thing as she faded in and out of consciousness. Frantic voices reached her ears all warped and indistinctive apart from one voice alone...the voice of her love. She tried to call out to him but she was too weak to yell. She had no idea of the distance between them until a strong pair of arms embraced her waist and pulled her into a well-toned chest. The sweet smell of honey filled her nose as a paw softly brushed its fingers against her cheek.

"Britt, are you alright? Say something..." Alvin whispered into her ear. He sounded desperate and worried. Brittany looked up to see Alvin's face swimming in and out of focus, his golden eyes shining more than anything else.

"Alvin?" she asked weakly.

"Yeah, Britt it's me. How are you?" Alvin sounded relieved that she answered back, but he was still sounding anxious as he continually stroked her soft cheek.

"I can't move. My back hurts," she gasped softly. With the last of her strength, she leaned into his embrace and sobbed into his hoodie, causing him to hold on just that bit tighter. The warmth coming off him was comforting. "Where are they, Alvin? Where is she?"

"Don't worry, they can't get you now. I promise they can't get you...I'm here now." said Alvin in a soothing voice. Tears ran down the injured Chipette's face as she cried.

The last thing she said before she lost consciousness was, "Marni, how could you?"

**Earlier that morning...**

Everything was going perfectly as Dave entered his fourth week as a chipmunk. Every day, he was still learning new things and smelling new scents and he had to admit that besides all the lies, he loved every second of it. What could be better than being able to play and catch up with your friends all day? He loved being a part of the group instead of the caretaker of it. He loved just being one of the boys. And as much as he hated to admit this, he loved being a teenager once again.

Today was the most physical day at West Eastman High for the boys. Right after home group, the four chipmunks made their way to the gym locker rooms to slip into their track shirts while the girls got into the cheerleading uniforms. Ryan and Xander were lucky that they were ace athletes for the school; otherwise they'd be locked up for their interschool suspension. They sneered at Theodore from the other side of the locker room, gaining furious looks from his brothers and father figure.

"Just ignore them," whispered Simon calmly to Theodore as the four chipmunks walked outside onto the track field **(seriously, I don't know anything about American high schools or American sport whatsoever...Except for NASCAR, I love NASCAR. So if any Americans out there want to fill this delusional Australian in, feel free in the reviews!)**

Today, the weather was proving to be colder than of late and a very chilly breeze hit all the chipmunks, rushing through their fur and whipping the looser parts of their coats around. The Chipettes hugged themselves and shivered as their fur was a lot shorter than the boys. Jeanette and Eleanor snuggled into their partners until splitting for the sidelines with the other cheerleaders. Marni Randall, the temporary captain until Ryan's girlfriend Duffy finished suspension, didn't look too happy to see the girls. This was weird as not only was she the friendliest cheerleader there; she was also Brittany's best friend apart from Alvin.

Brittany didn't notice this at first though. As soon as she caught sight of her friend, she skipped lightly toward her friend and greeted, "Hey Marni! What routine are we practicing today?"

Marni just gave Brittany a sneering look and turned away just as Jeanette and Eleanor caught up to their big sister. Brittany looked both taken a back and a little hurt as she watched Marni strut over to the other girls.

"What's her problem?" asked Jeanette curiously. Eleanor shrugged while Brittany just shook her head in disbelief.

"I don't know, she's never snubbed me like that before," Brittany commented sadly. Suddenly, Marni called all cheerleaders to take their places for the first cheer and the girls rushed to their first positions.

Meanwhile on the track, the track coach was splitting the boys into pairs for the 1000 metres sprint **(just bare with me when I use the metric system). **One by one the pairs versed each other as they ran as fast as they could. The cheerleaders cheered for their favourite jock as Ryan and Xander sprinted like Usian Bolt towards the finish line, Xander winning by quite a large margin, much to Alvin's amusement.

The chipmunks only ever sprinted against each other, seeing as it wasn't fair to the humans who could never match their stamina and speed. The first race was Simon against Theodore. In the old days, it was Simon who always won, but seeing as Theodore had become a lot fitter and stronger, he had become a decent challenger for the bespectacled chipmunk. While their fellow classmates chose to cheer for either of them, Dave and Alvin stayed neutral and stayed silent.

The two brothers approached the starting line and kneeled in a starting position. Theodore stood almost upright, but Simon was closer to the ground. The rules were for chipmunks were that they had to sprint the first 500 metres on their hind legs before dropping down onto all fours to the finish line. Both looked pumped to race. Theodore had been improving with each run and kept beating Simon by wider margins. But the green clad chipmunk was getting cockier each week and had forgotten that Simon's slighter and slender body gave him an advantage. If Theodore was NASCAR, Simon was Formula 1!

"Go Simon!" Jeanette called out to her mate as she was thrown into the air for a flip.

"Go Theo!" cried Eleanor has she shook her pom-poms.

"Girls concentrate and stop fooling around!" Marni scolded in disapproval from the front of the group. Both Chipettes sent her apologetic looks, but continued to cheer their counterparts on in their minds.

The coach held up the starting gun-thingy and called, "On your marks! Get set! Go!" BANG! He shot a blank and the two chipmunks were off.

Simon and Theodore strategically paced themselves as to not wear themselves out so quickly. Simon stayed in front in a mild run, while Theodore stayed behind and conserved his energy for the last 500 metres. The wind became even colder as they reached the halfway mark and dropped down, immediately going twice their original pace. Dave watched on proudly since he'd only ever seen Alvin do any sport as a human, and he was really impressed. Alvin watched on with pride as well as his little brothers came to the finish line. Theodore had made his move and burst forward, but Simon did exactly the same thing and finished first.

All the guys who had cheered for Theodore groaned in disappointment while said chipmunk shook his brother's hand as an act of good sportsmanship. Eleanor gave a whoop of joy and ran over to meet her boyfriend, kissing him on the lips. Everyone jeered and wolf whistled until Marni nearly screamed in anger at the little Chipette. Eleanor ran back to Brittany while Simon and Theodore took a seat on the bleachers.

The coach turned to the last two chipmunks waiting their turn, "Alvin. Ross. You're up!

Alvin turned to Dave with a cheeky grin, "Get ready to eat my dust, Miller!"

"Only in your dreams Seville!" Dave taunted back, sharing the smile. The rest of their classmates looked excited. They had never seen Ross run before and by the look of his well toned body, he could just be a worthy rival for the fastest sprinter since The Human Torpedo over 14 years ago. What they didn't know though-and more importantly, Alvin didn't know, was that Dave Seville was and is, The Human Torpedo. This time however, he had the perfect body to beat his long time standing track record.

Filled with enthusiasm, Dave and Alvin approached the starting line for what was going to go down as the quickest race in West Eastman history. BANG! They were off! Alvin confidently jumped into action. He thought this was going to be a cinch as he was already out pacing his father. Dave let him go for now, using Theodore's strategy to conserve energy for when he needed it most. Within seconds, they had already reached the quarter way mark. Everybody else couldn't believe their eyes. Even Marni had stopped to pay attention.

With all eyes on them, the two chipmunks picked up the pace. Alvin looked like he wasn't even touching the ground as he hit halfway and fell onto all fours, Dave several metres behind him. But the Chipmunk Torpedo knew what he was doing. As soon as he dropped down, Dave kicked off the ground, keeping all of the work in his haunches. Just like on the treadmill a few weeks before, his ears flicked back and his tail straightened out. Pounding against the ground, Dave became a black and white blur.

Everybody was amazed. "Whoa! Who knew a chipmunk could have such a kick!" cried one of the basketball players in awe. The coach stood there with his jaw hung open nearly down to his feet as he stared between the race and his stopwatch. Simon and Theodore couldn't believe it. Was this really their father, about to beat Alvin?

Sure enough, as quickly as the race had started, Dave streamlined past a startled Alvin with one last kick of speed across the finish line. The red chipmunk skidded to a rough halt, wearing out his claws. Dave slowed to a swift trot, gradually stopping in front of the cheering cheerleaders. The rest of the family bounded forward and embraced their dad in congratulations.

The coach came racing forward looking ecstatic, brandishing the stopwatch in the air," Amazing! I can't believe what I'm seeing! You completed the track in only 49.57 seconds! _Both _of you beat The Human Torpedo's record by 5.67 seconds combined! I've never seen anything like it!

Everyone cheered louder at this. Dave was on top of the world; he beat his own record! The one thing he had never accomplished before graduating and completely pursuing music. He did it! And even better, Alvin beat it with him! Dave let go of Theodore and bounded over to Alvin, who was beaming at their accomplishment.

"That was a pretty awesome run back there," Alvin said happily as Dave clapped him on the shoulder.

"That right there is an understatement," said Dave, feeling bubbly and exhausted at the same time. They shook paws as the crowd surrounded them once more, still yelling with shouts of congratulations.

The only people not celebrating were (surprise, surprise) Ryan, Xander and Marni, all scowling and already planning to put an end to the celebrations...

_**Back in the girls locker room...**_

Brittany, as usual, took her time as she quickly showered and changed back in her clothes. As far as she knew, everybody else had already left. She stood in front of a mirror, trying to get her hair done perfectly. She wanted to look as attractive as possible for Alvin in case he was planning to ask her to the Valentine's Day Ball. And why wouldn't he? It wasn't like he had a crush on any humans. He was always truthful with her about that kind of thing. Hopefully, in the euphoria of setting a school record, Alvin would find the confidence to ask her. She was being patient with his nervousness, but she really hoped he would get over it soon.

Just as she finished tying her hair back, Brittany heard the door open behind her. She had barely spun around to see who it was, when she was snatched up by her tail. She yelped in pain and cried out, "What the hell?"

"You think you chipmunks are so precious, don't you?" snarled a dark voice. It was Marni. Her bright red hair draped around her angered face.

"Marni? What are you doing? I thought we were friends!" Brittany exclaimed in fear of what the human was going to do with her.

"You've never meant anything to me. You've only ever been good for popularity," jeered Marni, "Let's see your precious Alvin keep celebrating when he sees what's happened to his crush..." Marni was smiling evilly now.

Brittany cringed, "What are you going to do?"

Marni answered by striding onto a toilet cubicle and stuffed the defenceless Chipette into the water. Brittany struggled against the humans grip and gurgled. After a few seconds, Marni pulled her out and repeated the process before the Chipette could even gasp. After a few more times, Marni walked back out of the cubicle, Brittany struggling to get air back in her lungs. She screamed, "HELP!"

"Don't even think about it, bitch!" snapped Marni. To prove her anger, she ran forward and slammed Brittany into a locker. She yelped in pain as the force nearly broke her ribcage.

Brittany broke down. She screamed out again, "ALVIN! HELP!"

"I. SAID. NO!" Marni screeched. As a final assault, with all the strength she could muster, the enraged cheerleader slammed Brittany to the floor. Brittany positively screamed so loudly that only a fellow chipmunk could hear it. On impact, she felt her ribs break and fracture. She couldn't get up. She couldn't even feel her legs.

Marni just stood there for a moment, as if taken in what she had just done, before gaining her nerves and sprinting out of the room to hide.

_**Back to the beginning... **_

That's how Brittany ended up here. Alvin kept his unconscious counterpart close, still softly stroking her cheek. Jeanette and Eleanor were either side of their wounded sister, struggling not to cry as Simon and Theodore held them comfortingly. Dave was looking frantic and unbelievingly angry as he and Julie Ortega waited impatiently for the ambulance to arrive.

In her office, Dr. Ruben was yelling senselessly at Marni, Ryan and Xander. So many people had seen Marni running, there was no questioning who was behind the attack. Marni immediately claimed that the jocks had asked her to and they were rounded up without question. Undoubtingly, this was the last time they would ever set foot in this school.

Alvin had heard Brittany call of distress and of course ran to her aid at once. He feared the worst when he saw his beloved abandoned on the stone-cold floor. He was worried like crazy and felt like screaming at the paramedics for taking their sweet time when they finally arrived. They tried to take her away from Alvin, but after a huge argument, they had no choice but to take him with her.

A crowed of students watched as Brittany and Alvin were loaded onto an ambulance on a stretcher. Julie, Dave and the others all rushed to Julie's car so they could follow behind to the animal hospital across town.

"Don't worry Britt," Alvin whispered as he held her, "You'll be okay. I'll make sure of that."

Everybody knew that Alvin was true to his word...

**A/N: That was both a pain in the ass and a lot of fun to write because that means we're getting even deeper into the story.**

**In case you missed my Author's Note from yesterday, I announced that Jason Lee is becoming a dad for the third time! Apparently, it's a boy and will be born sometime in June!**

**Here's my question for this chapter:**

**How should Dave react when he finds out about Simon and Jeanette's 'fun'?**


	10. Arguments and a Decision

**Chapter 10: Arguments and a Decision**

It was only in a matter of minutes that the ambulance had reached the animal hospital. The was urgency in the air as the back doors flung open and Brittany's stretcher was carefully unloaded and wheeled over to a small veterinary team made out of one doctor and two nurses. The poor Chipette was still unconscious despite the paramedic's attempts to wake her, but she was whimpering with every small bump. This worried Alvin, who had reluctantly let go of her so the medics could read her vital signs.

As the stretcher was wheeled inside towards a diagnostics room, Alvin bounded in pursuit after it, only to be stopped by one of the nurses. She had to be at least 54. She looked at him with sympathy, but she still said firmly, "I'm sorry, little fella, but you'll have to wait out here."

Panic-stricken, Alvin practically yelled at her, "Wait out here, my ass! She needs me!"

The nurse sighed and stared down the aggravated chipmunk, whose look refused to falter, "No offense, but you're the last thing she needs. Right now, all she needs is a properly trained vet. She needs x-rays done and everything. I promise you she's getting the best care in Los Angeles.

Alvin looked ready to have a fit, "But-!"

But, the nurse wouldn't hear it, "No buts! Now please take a seat before you disturb the other animals!"

Suddenly, the doctor came through the door. He was tall, with red hair and spoke with an Australian accent, "Dolores, what are you doing? Get in here!"

Dolores flushed as she looked over her shoulder. She walked over to him, with a very agitated Alvin watching her go. "Sorry Chris. I'm just trying to deal with a very stubborn male," she said in a hushed tone, making Chris lean in to hear her, "You know how chipmunk teenagers are; the second they stop growing, they think they run the joint."

Chris seemed a lot less fussed than the old nurse, "One of the paramedics just told me that he was very reluctant to let the Chipette go, very protective. Perhaps she is his mate, or hoping she'll be in the near future."

"Do you think so?" Dolores asked. Chris nodded.

Alvin was watching the humans with a twinge of annoyance. They were so ignorant that they forgot that Alvin could hear them with his extra-sensitive ears. He snorted when they quickly glanced at him. But he had to admit, they were kind of on the right track.

"Perhaps, it's best if we let him in. If she is his mate, she'll want him close by when she wakes up." Chris said. With one glance at the anxious Alvin, he turned on his heel and strode back into the diagnostics room to join the other nurse who was preparing Brittany for x-rays.

Dolores turned back to the expectant chipmunk. Alvin had his arms crossed and looked as though he was waiting for an answer he already knew. Dolores sighed again and opened the door, "Come on then."

She had barely finished the sentence when Alvin was already through the door. She rolled her eyes and followed him in, closing the door behind her. Alvin leapt into the steel table that Brittany lay on, Dr Chris examining her torso by gently pressing on it. Brittany's outfit had been removed, so she was slightly shivering on the cold surface. Alvin felt like scolding the humans for letting her go cold, but that stopped once Dolores gently wrapped her in a towel, picking her up.

"We'll be back in a few minutes. I'm just taking her next door to get her x-rays done. We'll find out what damage has been done," Dolores informed the red-clad chipmunk, feeling sorry for him now that he just looked upset and worried for his counterpart. Alvin nodded to show he understood and watched with a twinge of regret as he precious Britt left his sight once again.

Dr Chris observed Alvin's behaviour closely. Not surprising, seeing as rodents was his specialty, "Don't worry, mate. She'll be right as rain in a week or two," Chris told the chipmunk, Alvin turning to face him," If I'm right, than all she'll need is a rib cast, some strong pain killers and plenty of rest. I'd also suggest that you keep whoever harmed her as far away as possible."

Again, Alvin snorted. He was definite that Dr. Ruben was going to make sure Brittany never laid eyes on Marni again

_**A few minutes later...**_

Just after Brittany was brought back to a relieved Alvin, the rest of the gang and Julie Ortega barged into the reception area. Jeanette and Eleanor had pulled themselves together, holding their counterparts paws as they strode in behind Dave and Julie. Everybody was as angry as Alvin had been. How dare that stinking cheerleader harm Brittany like that? That was completely uncalled for!

Julie approached the reception desk. The nurse on duty looked up at her questioningly through her glasses," Yes, can I help you?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Is there any news on the female chipmunk that was just brought in?" Julie asked politely. The nurse flipped through her paperwork before shaking her head solemnly.

"No, Miss, I'm sorry, but if anything comes up, you'll be the first to know. In the meantime, please take a seat in the waiting room through the door to your left," the nursed drawled. Julie bit her lip in anxiousness and headed back to the gang.

"No news on Brittany yet," Julie directly informed the Chipettes, "The only thing we can do for now is wait." So everybody slouched into the waiting room. Unsurprisingly, the room was anything but inviting. There was nothing but a table with old magazines on pet care and seats that were almost painful to sit on. The two couples had a chair each; Julie had one of her own while Dave stood on the table facing them.

Nobody wanted to talk; they were too absorbed in their own minds. Dave's mind was racing once more. How could this happen? The attack was just so unprovoked. Brittany never saw it coming. Ryan and Xander probably played a part in it, no doubt about it. What grudge could Marni have possibly be holding to want to slam a little chipmunk into the floor? Dave looked over to her distressed sisters who probably wanted be by her side. At least Alvin was with her. He had looked angrier than Dave had ever seen him.

After nearly 40 minutes, Toby came storming into the room, looking murderous. He nearly slapped Julie with a kiss on her cheek before taking the seat next to her. Nobody had ever seen Toby like this; he had always been so submissive. He growled, "I got your message Jules. I did exactly what you asked and called Dave."

The chipmunks froze. Call Dave? Oh crap.

"And is he on his way?" Julie asked expectantly. To her surprise, Toby shook his head, his scowl deepening.

"No, he didn't answer! It's not like his phone wasn't on, I was able to leave a message,"

Dave panicked, "Maybe he was just in a meeting? Or stuck in traffic?" he suggested hopefully.

Toby didn't buy it, "Dave always takes his phone into meetings and he always answers when I call, because it usually means that Alvin has set the kitchen on fire. He never takes a chance! Ross, either this is a major coincidence, or Dave is being a complete bastard! It doesn't take 40 minutes to call back, or to drive 9 blocks to get here!" Toby snapped.

Julie placed a comforting hand on Toby's shoulder, "Come on, Tobe. You know that your cousin would never neglect his kids. There is a logical reason for all of this." Toby just scowled, still fuming. Julie sighed in exasperation, "Come on, why don't we see if there's any news on Brittany yet and then we'll go outside and try Dave again.

Reluctantly, Toby nodded and they headed back outside the room. The chipmunks looked perplexed at each other for a few moments, before Simon asked, "What are we going to do, guys? If we don't come up with a good explanation, we're screwed."

"Another explanation?" Dave asked wearily. He was really getting tired of this, "Another lie? Simon, I'm starting to get confused about why we lied to Toby in the first place. A cover up for school is reasonable, but why are we shutting my cousin out of this? He's family too."

The others nodded in agreement. "That's true," Theodore agreed, "Toby's hung around us long enough to know that weird things happen in the Seville house. It might take a little bit of convincing, but he'd believe us in the end."

"Too true," Jeanette piped in, "I say we tell him. What's the worst that could happen?"

"I second that," motioned Eleanor, waking up from her stupor.

"I third it," added Dave, "We could really use his help. And Julie's too for that matter."

Simon looked unconvinced, but gave in to peer pressure, "All right, motion carried. We'll tell them when they get back."

Suddenly, the whole group instantly felt a huge weight lift off their shoulders. A bit of guilt had disappeared. It felt good. The next moment, Toby and Julie returned, either looking very happy. Tody was cursing under his breath as he fell back into his seat, much to Julie bemusement.

"So I'm guessing Dave didn't answer?" Eleanor asked. The dark looks on the humans faces told them everything, "Well, we're not surprised."

"You're not?' Julie asked curiously. The chipmunks shook their heads in unison, "Why not?"

"Well, you see it goes like this..." Jeanette started.

_**Back with Alvin and Brittany...**_

Alvin could finally relax. After nearly an hour of diagnosis and treatment, Brittany was resting comfortably in a heavily cushioned cage. The cage door had been removed by a request from Alvin. Just as Dr. Chris had predicted, a rib cast was wrapped around the Chipettes slender body and another bandage had been wrapped her forehead to cover the massive lump. She had been responding to touch and voices and the x-rays proved that no brain damage had been sustained from the impact with the gym locker.

Alls there was to do now was to wait for her to regain consciousness. Brittany was lightly curled up against Alvin, who had laid his head in the crook of her neck while one arm was draped gently over her waist. He slowly breathed, savouring her scent while listening to the faint drip drop of the morphine in her IV bottle. All was quiet. The staff had decided to place the Chipette in the quarantine area, seeing as no sick dog or distressed cat could disrupt her.

Alvin was revelling in the privacy until the door opened. He growled, already knowing who it was, but still wasn't happy to be disturbed. Dr. Chris treaded carefully toward the cage, quickly spotting Alvin's look of foreboding, "Not bothering you am I?"

Alvin gave him a look that clearly said, _"What do you think, moron?"_

Chris smiled sheepishly, "I just wanted to check on her once more before I inform your family. I wish I could let them see her, but for now, I think you're the only company she needs. They can see her in the afternoon."

Alvin nodded, honestly too tired to argue. He yawned lightly and curled his tail around his counterparts. Chris noticed this and his smile became warmer. Alvin narrowed his eyes and asked, "What is it?" Curiosity dripped from every syllable.

"It's nothing," Chris replied gently, "Forgive me if I'm wrong. It's just that, well, it's good to know that even though you're a domesticated chipmunk, your mating instincts haven't changed in the slightest."

"She's not my mate!" Alvin insisted.

"Not yet anyway," Chris chuckled, "Cause your body language suggests something completely different to what you say."

"It's not like I don't want her be. I do. A lot," Alvin sighed heavily. His ears flipped back, "There's just never been a good time to show her how I feel."

"Oh really?" asked Chris, "Then what do you think you're doing right now?"

He chuckled at the stunned look on Alvin's face. With a curt nod and a wink, Chris smirked all the way back out the door. Alvin couldn't believe the nerve of that guy. Just who the hell did he think he was telling Alvin how to run his love life?

Then again, Alvin thought, as sleep finally took a hold of him, Chris did have a point...

**A/N Well, there you go, my little minions. Another chapter is done and dusted until next week.**

**Here's this week's question: Who would make a better love interest for Dave out of Vinny and Charlene?**


	11. Waking Up

_**Author's Note: Can't hurt to give it another try.**_

**Waking Up**

Dr. Chris made his way down the hallway, intent on telling the Brittany's family about her condition. His smirk dialled down to a more professional smile as he made his way into the reception area and made a left into the waiting room. He opened the door to the sound of anxious voices abruptly stopping in his presence. There were five chipmunks and two humans, the man looking livid. Undeterred by this, Chris walked on in towards the group.

"Are you here for Brittany Miller?" he asked politely. They all nodded, so he continued, "Well then, I'm Dr. Chris, the doctor who treated her."

The two Chipettes glanced at each other and the smaller green clad one stepped forward, "And how is Brittany? Is she alright?"

Chris gave Eleanor a warm smile, "Brittany will be just fine. She's broken a few ribs and has a rather large bump on her head, but with plenty of relaxation, she'll be back on her feet in two weeks at the most."

"Well thank God for that," Julie said softly. She didn't like to think of one of her best English students being injured, let alone attacked.

"Can we see her?" asked Theodore nervously. He had been just as shaken up about the attack as his girlfriend.

Chris thought about it for a moment. He wouldn't want to disappoint the group, but yet again, he thought of the young couple snuggled up in that cage. It would be a shame to disturb them. He sighed, "I wish I could, but it might be best to leave her be until after she regains consciousness. I let you see her first thing tomorrow."

The chipmunks all looked downhearted apart from the black furred chipmunk who asked, "What about Alvin?"

Chris chuckled, "He'll be staying overnight too. He fell asleep on her shoulder and seemed pretty exhausted."

Everybody else chuckled as well, but not as heartily as Chris was expecting. The whole group seemed to be conflicted. Was there something he missed? The man sitting in the corner hadn't said a thing and his face had a look of disbelief. Surely that had nothing to do with Brittany. For the sake of professionalism, Chris shook the thought off. After all, it was none of his business.

"Well," he said, addressing them once more, "I'll see you in the morning. Until then, try to enjoy the rest of the day. I call you to let you know if she wakes up."

With that, he walked down the hall to treat his next furry patient.

_**Back at the Seville house...**_

It had been a silent drive back home. Nobody knew what to say to each other.

Dave was a chipmunk? This was unbelievable. Some pretty weird stuff went on with his cousin's family, but this? Said chipmunk sat in the passenger seat while the kids were in the back. Julie had returned to West Eastman. She would sign the chipmunks out of school for the rest of the day.

Toby kept glancing at Dave every few seconds, his mind buzzing. This was really trippy. He had a chipmunk for a cousin! Toby hadn't believed it until Dave told him something only he could know about his sixteenth birthday. Toby definitely hadn't invited any black furred chipmunks back then. But, it explained why Dave had been missing for a while.

After half an hour, Toby finally pulled into the long driveway and parked. He jumped out and opened all the doors so the chipmunks could pile out. They walked to the front door then went inside to the living room. Dave was rather tired, that race alone had taken it out of him, but the stress of one of his girls being injured had him beat. He lay back on the couch with the others while Toby sat in something like a trance.

It was a while before Toby spoke up again, "So, if you've been 'Ross' this whole time, then you actually attacked those jocks a week ago?"

Dave nodded tiredly, his eyes half closed. Toby sat forward and a smirk made an appearance. How much would he have loved to be in Dave's position that day? "Dude that was some awesome stuff you did. You managed to do as a chipmunk thing I've always wanted to do to get pay back for ages! I mean, come on! You bit through that Ryan's ear!"

Dave gave a small chuckle,"That was Alvin, but I would have if given the chance. It did make a pretty good crunching sound!" Dave now laughed, sounding very much like the teenager he had been reduced to, "I have to admit, it brings back memories!"

Simon frowned, "What memories?"

This time Toby laughed, "Oh my God, remember your 21st birthday bash? You and Ian Hawke had been fighting over Claire Wilson, so you decided that whoever could knock out the other first would be the one to ask her out?"

Dave chortled, "Yeah, Ian couldn't throw a punch to hit the side of a barn door! He claimed not to remember anything about that the next morning!"

"Not surprising since you won!" Toby howled. The two cousins roared with laughter at the memory.

Eleanor leaned over to Theodore. "And he gives us lectures on no violence." She whispered as Theodore rolled his eyes.

Jeanette did the same to Simon, "I think we just discovered the root of Dave's and Ian's rivalry." Simon nodded.

After a little while, the laughing ceased, but the smiles remained. Dave sat up and gazed at Toby with that warm look he had for the people he loved," So, you aren't angry by all this? I mean, we did lie to you and everything."

Toby shook his head, "Well, I have to admit that I was a bit peeved, but of course not. I would've done the same thing in your position. Anyway since when have I been someone to hold a grudge?" The chipmunks shrugged their shoulders and Toby echoed them, "See?

_**The next morning**_...

Friday morning was dawned in misty light, as the late-winter sun rose to another day. People all over LA were getting ready for the last day of work before another well-earned weekend. In an inter-town apartment, Dr. Ruben was getting ready for school, preparing to interview the parents of the students responsible for the attack the day before. In the Seville house, Toby and the gang were fast asleep for the moment, seeing as they were taking the day off to visit Brittany.

It was 6.30 in the morning that Brittany finally became back into consciousness. She opened one bleary, glassy eye and allowed her senses to come into focus. Her nerves woke up first, pain was starting to become clearer with each second, and then her eyes come into focus. She could see a white room with what seemed like a steel floor, until she realised that it was a bench. Her eyes started to dart around...was she in a cage?

Her sense of touch awoke and she could feel the soft cushion she was resting on and another she was up against, but what was curled around her tail? Finally her sense of smell started working. Why could she smell honey amongst she putrid smell of medication? She tried to shift until a sharp jolt of pain shot up her spine; she winced and yelped, causing another noise.

A light yawn came from behind Brittany and she froze. Who was that? "Britt? Are you awake?" came a sleepy voice. She felt a small amount of pressure lift from her side. She was still half awake, but she knew that voice any time of day.

"Alvin? Is that you?" she asked weakly. Her throat was very sore seeing as it had been hanging open since she bonked out.

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?" Alvin replied gently. His lips were right next to her ear.

"Sore, really sore," she replied. She was still confused. She remembered Alvin hugging her closely when she broke down, but how come he was still here?

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alvin said as he sat up. He moved away before stretching out like a dog, yawning as he did so, "But I'm not surprised after what happened."

Brittany winced as Marni's face flashed in front of her eyes. She shook it off before asking, "Have you been here all night?"

"Every second of it," Came Alvin's reply. He seemed happy that Brittany was sounding a little stronger. He quietly crawled around her and lay on his stomach, his legs curled together to one side, "I was going to leave with the others, but I figured that you might want some company when you woke up. We've both been out of it since yesterday afternoon."

"That long?" Brittany said, surprised.

"Yep. I was exhausted after the track session and you were...well," Alvin's voice faded. Brittany couldn't help but blush when the worry returned to his golden eyes.

"Out cold?" Brittany finished for him. Alvin nodded. "What exactly did Marni do to me?"

Alvin growled at the mention of the cheerleader. It was still evident when he answered, "She managed to break a few ribs and you've got quite a bump on the head, but no permanent damage."

Brittany sighed in relief and gave a tired smile, "Well, thank God for that."

Alvin smiled too, "Definitely."

There were a few minutes of silence as they gazed at each other. Brittany was still perplexed at Marni's change in attitude, but was just too tired to stress over it. Besides, she had her best friend of best friend's right here with her. Alvin could do nothing but admire her courage as she continued to smile.

After a little while more, Dolores the nurse walked in with a plate of berries and an assortment of nuts along with a water tray. She toddled over to the cage and peeked in, smiling when she saw both chipmunks awake, "Good morning dears, I was hoping you'd come around by now. Brittany, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Sore," came the Chipettes reply.

"I'm not surprised," said Dolores matter-of-factly, "Just be sure to keep still, rest easy, drink plenty and don't starve yourself. You'll be on your feet on two weeks."

"TWO WEEKS?" Brittany cried. Alvin had to hold her down to stop her from jumping up, "But the Ball is on Friday! I can't perform!"

"Brittany, please take a chill pill and relax, before you hurt yourself more!"Alvin pleaded. Again, Brittany was surprised to hear the worry in his voice. For him, she took a breath and lay down. He stroked her cheek and whispered, "Who cares about the Ball? We've performed for the school before. All anyone cares about is you. Okay?"

Brittany nodded. Dolores beamed. She set the plate on the table in front of the cage, "That's better. Alvin why don't you help your mate with eating breakfast while I replace her IV."

Both chipmunks spluttered at once.

"Oh-n-no! I'm not his mate!" Brittany stammered, while Alvin nodded in agreement. Both were blushing so furiously, you could nearly see it from under their fur. Dolores chuckled.

"_Sure_ you not!" she laughed as she walked back out to get the morphine.

_**A/N: A lot of people seem to have that opinion don't they?**_


	12. What It Means To Be In Love

_**Author's Note: **_**Congratulations to the Chipmunks who just won their third award for Favourite Movie at The Kids Choice Awards! **

_**What It Means To Be In Love**_

Saturday dawned with hope in the air as the Seville's slept comfortably. Even Brittany snoozed thanks to the painkillers that made her extremely drowsy. She wasn't supposed to be home just yet, but thanks to the paparazzi storming the animal clinic and disturbing other animals, Dolores was more than obligated to drive her home safely. Jeanette and Eleanor were relieved to have her home and had appointed themselves her nurses. Perhaps that made Alvin her doctor in that sense.

Seeing as this was an incredibly large house, everybody had their own room. Alvin's was painted red and yellow (no duh!) and was covered with posters of his favourite rock bands, along with a whole wall covered with musical instruments. Simon's room was like a second laboratory apart from his study area, which contained a desk and everything you would need to study Science. Jeanette's was very much the same, except hers looked more like a library. Theodore's was a typical teenager's room, coloured green and had many sheets pinned to his wall of recipes. Eleanor's best feature of her room was the tiny drum kit made just for her.

Alone in the kitchen, Dave sipped his chipmunk sized cup of coffee and stood on top of the newspaper observing the front page. Splashed across the top was the heading, _**Brittany Miller Hospitalized in High school Attack. **_He rolled his eyes as he read the false report; not a bit of it was true. Stupid reporters. Not even checking to see if their facts are straight. Dave was now glad he chose to pursue a career in song writing rather than journalism.

Speaking of song writing, Dave hadn't finished the song he wrote for the Ball yet. With that thought in mind, Dave chugged the rest of his coffee, abandoned the paper and jumped off the table, heading out of the kitchen and down a lengthy hallway to the music room and Dave's favourite part of his massive house.

Shoving the door open, Dave wandered in and smiled at the sight in front of him. 50 different types of instruments lined the walls, whether traditional, rare or a little bit weird: a trumpet, bugle, flute, piccolo, trombone, bassoon, saxophone, electric guitar, bass guitar, double bass, violin, cello, clarinet, French horn, drum kit and keyboard. You know, just to name a few. Sunlight shone through the tall pane windows and illuminated the black pearl pain on Dave's piano and the red pearl paint on Alvin's.

Dave sat in front of Alvin's piano, where the manuscript of his new song was still sitting. He took a breath and began to play, imagining in his mind, and the voices of his kids singing.

_**Walkin' down this dusty old track.**_

_**Too early to look forward,**_

_**But too late to turn back.**_

_**Don't worry about every little thing.**_

_**I know it's all crazy,**_

_**When you feel Love's sting.**_

"DAVE! Where are you?"

Dave's fingers slipped and he hit a few dud notes in the piano, swirling his head around to see Toby bursting through the door, "Dave, I need to go home. Julie wasn't expecting me to stay overnight and apparently she's pissed that I never called!"

Dave smirked. "Toby, Toby, Toby, you'd reckon that you might've learned from past mistakes," he teased lightly, "You've never learned from your old cousin have you?"

"Learned what?" Toby teased back, "How to lose a woman in 30 seconds? How to non-discreetly embarrass myself in front of the female persuasion?

"Oh, shut up. What do you know?"

Toby chuckled heartily, walking over to the mini piano and plucking Dave off the seat."That's an awful amount of attitude coming from such a little ball of fluff like you," Toby said as if talking to a 5 year old. The evil and bemused look on the chipmunk's face said it all. Toby laughed it off and put Dave back on the ground.

"The second I'm human again, I'm going to pound you into the ground," Dave growled, only supplementing Toby's laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, sure you are. Ooh, I'm so scared. Help, somebody save me from the evil chipmunk! Save me, sav-OW!" Toby yelped, jumping in shock and clutching his right hand. He snapped his head in Dave's direction, who was now standing at Toby's feet, the evil look still present, "What the hell? Did you just bite me?"

Sure enough, teeth marks were present across Toby's middle and index fingers.

"You were asking for it!" Dave yelled in defence,"Didn't the snapping turtle incident teach you anything?"

Suddenly, the door opened again and in came Simon and Theodore still in their pyjamas and yawning. Simon didn't look impressed at the wake up call. "What's going on in here?" he asked warily, rubbing his ocean blue eyes.

"I bit Toby," said Dave shortly, ignoring Toby's glare.

Simon snorted and tried not to laugh at the innocent look on Dave's face. He remembered when Dave ended up with several bite marks on his rear end because he nearly sat on Alvin late one night. It was a bit awkward to explain to the concert producers why Dave had to stay standing for the majority of the meeting the next day.

"Why though?"Asked Theodore, who was also trying not to laugh.

"Cause he deserved it," replied Dave as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Toby started to back towards the door, still fuming at his cousin, "I did not! That's it, I'm outta here!" He stormed out of the room. The moment he was out of sight, the three chipmunks burst out laughing.

****

Meanwhile, Jeanette, Eleanor and Alvin were in Brittany's room. The walls were hot pink and plastered with many signed posters of her fellow pop stars, such as Lady Gaga and Adele. There was even a photo of a charity concert the Chipettes did with The Black Eyed Peas. Brittany herself was lying comfortably in her bed, propped up with various pillows while she ate her breakfast.

Her sisters and her crush had made the toaster waffles just the way she liked it. Alvin and Eleanor sat either side of her while Jeanette sat at her feet. There was silence for a while until Alvin spoke up, "So, Britt, apparently Dr. Ruben called last night."

Brittany raised an eye ridge and looked at him in interest. Alvin blushed under her gaze. "Really? What did she say? Was it about Marni?" she asked. Brittany had been hankering to know what sort of action had been taken against her ex-best friend. _"Conniving Bitch," _thought Brittany savagely.

Alvin caught the evil look on his counterparts face and smiled, "I'm quite pleased to say it was. Not only has Marni been expelled, but she has been banned from any school in the LA district for as long as you live here. Ryan and Xander only have one last chance before they get chucked out too. They've been subjected to interschool suspension for the rest of the year! How awesome is that?"

The Chipettes grinned at one another. Jeanette and Eleanor already knew all this, but seeing Brittany grin made them join in. Finally the school would be an almost no-bully zone. Alvin was already hoping one of the friendlier students would plan a party to celebrate. Finally, the chipmunks could wander down the hallways with no chance of someone calling them a rat and ruining their day. This was too good to be true.

"That's great news!" Eleanor chirped. Brittany took a deep breath, ignoring the painful twinge of her ribcage and leaned back into her pillow. Her plate was empty now the she'd finished her breakfast. She was still very tired thanks to the pills, but she needn't worry about having trouble sleeping. Alvin had barely left her side and was always there when she wanted something to snuggle into. She had been hoping that he would stay in her room overnight, but with Dave's increasingly watchful eye, he had to sleep in his own room.

Brittany was confused about where she and Alvin's friendship stood. After waking up next to him in the hospital, it was quite clear that he was really fond of his counterpart. Not to mention the way he had held her before the ambulance arrived. When Brittany first got home yesterday afternoon, Alvin had held her paw in his. All of this couldn't have been because of friendship. There had to be something more...

They spent the next few minutes discussing what was going to happen now that Brittany couldn't perform at the ball. She was still upset about it. She had had a feeling that Alvin was going to ask her to be his date. They couldn't do that now. It kind of broke her heart.

"This really sucks," mumbled Eleanor, "I hate it when one of us gets left out. It just doesn't seem fair."

Jeanette wrapped an arm around her little sister's shoulder comfortingly and said, "We know how you feel Ellie." She then turned to Brittany, "We could stay home if you want us to. It wouldn't be the same if you weren't running around like a maniac, trying to get everything perfect."

Alvin snickered. Brittany subconsciously run her paw over her messy hair, which everybody was grateful she couldn't see. She gave a heavy sigh and said, "No, I wouldn't dream of depriving my own sisters of their first dances. I'd feel a lot better knowing that you two are having the time of your lives."

The other two Chipettes smiled and gently embraced their injured sister. "Aw, Britt, you're so sweet!" sighed Jeanette gratefully. While she would have given the night up for her sister, she would've been devastated to miss the chance of slow dancing with her Mate. Simon had been teaching her how to waltz between homework sessions and...well..._other_ kinds of sessions...

Anyway, while the girls were having their little sister moment, Alvin watched on with a grin plastered on his face. He liked the fact that they were just as close as he was to his brothers. He was even happier when he realised that he could get some alone time with his crush for the first time since they had both been in detention for starting a flapjack fight in the school cafeteria. Totally worth it! Dave had been furious with the both of them.

Speaking of Dave, he poked his head around the door curiously. Four heads turned in his direction. "Brittany, have you finished your breakfast?" he asked politely with a hint of concern.

Brittany nodded, "Yes, I have. It was delicious."

"We'll take your plate to the kitchen," said Eleanor. She and Jeanette stood up, picking up the plate as she went. They both jumped off the bed and followed Dave out of the room. Alvin and Brittany watched them go before turning to each other.

"So," started Brittany, stifling a yawn, "What are you getting up to today?"

Alvin smiled happily and sat in his knees, "I'm already doing it."

"What? Staying here with me, bored out of your brain?" Brittany joked, "There's got to be something better than that."

"What's better than hanging out with your best friend?" Alvin asked. Brittany frowned. 'Best friend' a word that had betrayed her to the point that she ended up in hospital. Alvin noticed her grimace and gently took her paw in his. She looked into his eyes, noticing just how gold they really were. It's often said that a person's eyes are the windows into their heart and soul: they must be gold too.

"What's wrong Brittany?" Alvin asked caringly.

Brittany sighed again. "I still can't believe Marni did this to me. Why, how?" she whispered. She could feel a lump form in her throat. Alvin still looked concerned.

"I don't know why," Alvin whispered back, beginning to stroke her cheek again. Being as close to Brittany as he was, Alvin knew when she was trying not to cry. He could see the concentration on her face. He knew she wanted to be strong, but it's not healthy to bottle up emotions like that. It could easily turn nasty.

"We were such good friends," Brittany continued quietly, "We've been shopping together, training, and sharing gossip...She seemed so nice, even if she was friends with Duffy. This has to be Ryan's doing, it has to!" A tear dripped and the dam burst all at once. Alvin pulled her to his chest as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Again, anger bubbled inside Alvin like a boiling pot of water. He'd get his revenge on Ryan eventually. Hurting his baby brother was bad enough, but hurting his beloved Chipette was just too much to take. Alvin couldn't take it anymore. There was no room left for excuses. He had to let her know how he felt. Once he did, if she accepted his affection, he could finally protect her like he should've started doing a long time ago.

As gently as he could, he pulled himself away from the pink pyjama-clad Chipette and gazed into her eyes once more. He laid her properly back into the pillows while she gave him a questioning look through all the tears. He brushed her auburn fringe out of her eyes, causing a shiver to go down her spine.

"Brittany, I know you feel so alone right now," He started. Brittany gave another heaving sob, "But I assure you that you aren't and will never be again."

Brittany's breath caught as she gasped. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? "What are you trying to say?" she wheezed, just in case she was wrong.

"I'm saying that I love you." There. He said it. Out loud. Just like that. It felt good, "I love you more than anything and there's nothing I want more than to be by your side. You're the sun that brightens my whole day and the stars I love to gaze at night. You're everything to me."

Shock waved over Brittany like a tsunami. So he did love her? This was too good to be true. She immediately felt her breathing lighten up. The tears stopped falling and what she hoped was a relieved smile graced her gorgeous features. "Do you really?" she asked timidly.

Alvin nodded, knowing that an insult on his part was about to be set up, "Would I make a speech like that if I was joking?"

And here comes the punch line. "Well, with you I never know til I see proof," Brittany teased lightly.

Told you.

Proof; Alvin decided to give her just that. Ears flicked back, he nervously leaned in closer to her, wondering if she might reject him at the last moment. This was one of the examples about how chipmunk courtship was different to humans. Going from friends to lovers was more common than two people who hardly know each other going on a blind date or something. The first step was for the male to make the first move and let the female have control of the decision.

Luckily for Alvin, Brittany had no intentions whatsoever to reject his affection. In fact, she had already closed her eyes. She felt joy bubbling in her heart. Alvin's honey flavoured scent could be smelt as they bumped noses. He was probably trying to figure out where to start. Brittany was expecting a kiss on the lips, like on all those romantic movies she'd seen. But what actually happened surprised her.

Alvin moved his muzzle off hers, nerves still running a million miles an hour. He leaned in again, deciding what he should do: very gently and gradually, he grazed against her neck and up to her soft cheek. Brittany gave a squeal of excitement and immediately returned the movement. Their paws found each other as they nuzzled lovingly for the first time. Mid-nuzzle, Alvin planted a kiss on the sore bump on her head before continuing.

This felt so right, they thought simultaneously. It was like a part of them had just been filled up that they didn't even realise was missing. No wonder Simon and Jeanette looked deliriously happy every time they were together, which was all the time. They agreed that they were both idiots for letting this take it's time. Brittany had never been happier. Alvin actually had something worthwhile to brag about for a change.

Unknown to the new couple, there were a few spectators to this event. Their brothers and sisters had crept in during Alvin's love confession and now watched in awe at the new love being discovered. Jeanette and Eleanor were positively beaming. Simon wore a smug look while Theodore just wore a knowing smile. It's about bloody time! With a silent agreement formed between them, they all snuck back out.

Gradually, the two eldest chipmunks pulled apart. All nervousness had disappeared and all tears now dry and forgotten. Brittany cupped Alvin's cheek and kissed it. They couldn't stop smiling!

"Alvin."

"Yeah?"

"I love you too. Ya big softie!"

_**A/N: **_**Do you have any idea how hard it is to write about affection between two characters when it's not kissing?**


	13. The Ball

**Author's Note: Shut up and read!**

**Chapter 13: The Ball**

The weekend and week ahead passed with not much to comment on except for the growing romance between the three resident couples of the Seville Manor. Eleanor and Theodore were still showing their sweetness for each other by stuffing each other with cupcakes, then running them off around the paddock. Simon and Jeanette were still enjoying their stolen moments in the lab, as well as their school assignments. Last, but certainly not least, Alvin was tending to Brittany's every need as if she was a queen and he, her loyal servant.

On Tuesday afternoon, there had been an excited buzz in the air as Eleanor and Jeanette had been trying on their dresses for the Ball so Eleanor could make alterations on them if needed. Brittany heard the commotion coming from Jeanette's room and huffed jealously, earning a nuzzle from Alvin to take her mind off not being able to go. Much to their chagrin, Simon and Theodore were forbidden from even standing in that side of the house and obeyed just to keep the ugly looks for their counterpart's faces when they suggested otherwise.

Dave finally finished up the song they would perform. With Alvin and Brittany now out, Dave had made a few changes so that the rest of the gang could show off the better qualities of their voices through the lyrics. Dave was now Alvin's replacement for lead guitarist. He couldn't help but feel pumped. After watching concert after concert, he was going to rock out on stage with them! How awesome was that?

As Valentine's Day approached, everybody walked the over-decorated halls of the school apart for the two eldest chipmunks. Julie had arranged for a tutor to work with Brittany so she wouldn't fall behind, which she agreed to, as long as her boyfriend could stay with her.

The whole school was talking about Friday night, the girls swapping rumours and details about their dresses and dates, while the boys bragged about the girl they had managed to 'snag' for the night. Dr. Ruben was forced to shove all other duties aside so she could make last minute arrangements. Julie had managed to convince Toby to act as a chaperone, much to his massive discontent. Dave had nearly fell off his desk laughing when Julie informed him. Toby...A responsible adult? Bahahahaha!

After much anticipation, the 14th of February arrived, and romance was stronger than it ever had been before.

_**With perfect grace...**_

It was actually sort of a proud moment for Dave as he watched his two younger sons waiting nervously at the foot of the stairs, adjusting their ties and suits accordingly. Simon was wearing a black suit with a dark and pale blue striped tie, while Theodore had the same, instead in green. Dave himself was wearing a red dress shirt with a stylish black leather jacket. He wasn't so formal seeing as after the song was performed he was going to join the DJ and laugh at Toby trying to contain a bunch of teenagers all night.

Getting back to the proud moment though, Dave had a bit of an emotional upheaval. He had finally had that moment when a parent realised that his children were no more, but were now adolescents beginning to find their place in the world. Granted, he had only known them for five years, but it was still bitter knowing that they would never come crying to him or be told tales of their wondrous adventures in the playground. Heck, he would even miss Theodore sleeping on his forehead after a nightmare!

After a little while, Jeanette and Eleanor finally came down the stairs. Dave can't give much detail, so let us see what the boys thought...

_**Simon's POV**_

_I stood there with sweaty palms as I waited for my mate to join me. Finally, I saw her and she seemed to be glowing with her beauty. Her violet eyes sparkled even more than her dress behind her gorgeous glasses. It flowed down to her knees and glittered with purple sequins over soft golden silk. Her hair was pulled back into an elaborate braid, but a few of her caramel locks were hanging to curl and frame her face. Her smile was dazzling and warm. I was so concentrated on her face she could've been floating down the stairs for all I know! Who could dare say that there was someone more beautiful than my Jeanie?_

_**Theodore's POV**_

_When Ellie finally came down the stairs, she took my breath away! She wore a flowing dark green dress that complimented her curves and illuminated her eyes. She wore just enough makeup to show off her many features. She looked my way and giggled at the dumbfounded look I was probably wearing at that moment. Her sandy blond hair was out of its pigtails and was instead in waves, flowing down to her shoulders. What a smile! What an amazing spectacle! In the moment I knew I was the luckiest Chipmunk in the world to have one this fair Chipettes heart._

_**Back to Dave...**_

The girls looked amazing and obviously their boyfriends thought so as well, seeing as Simon was drooling and Theodore looked like he had been smacked in the head with a club. Dave heard a chuckle coming from behind him and he spun around to see an amused Alvin watching his brothers. Dave caught his eye and Alvin winked before turning on his heel as he set off to set up his surprise for Brittany. Her sisters hopped down the last step and stood aside their respective partners.

"You look beautiful," Dave heard Simon murmur in his beloved's ear as he gently took her paw and kissed it, bowing as he did so.

"You are so handsome, Teddy!" Eleanor squealed as she threw her arms around Theodore. Theodore grinned and smooched her on the cheek. There was a flash of light and the green couple looked startled at Dave, who had evidently jumped on the camera next to him to capture the moment.

"What?" he asked with a cheeky smile, "It seemed like a good snapshot to remind you of your first Valentines together. Now come on all of you! I want to get a few photos in before Toby and Julie get here!"

All four groaned in protest, but did as asked and grouped in. The girls clung to the Chipmunks and put on winning smiles, while the boys tried to look as dignified as they could. Dave chortled and prepared the camera again, "Say, cheeseballs!"

"CHEESEBALLS!" they cried in union. Another flash of light blinded them.

Toby and Julie arrived several photos later. Toby wore a nice suit he probably had saved from his own high school days and Julie looked stunning in a shimmering maroon gown with matching high heels. At the sight of the Chipettes, Julie exclaimed, "Oh my, you girls looks so beautiful!"

"Thank you!" Jeanette gushed.

"Oh, stop it Jules, you're embarrassing us!" Eleanor joked, pretending to blush deeply. Everybody shared a laugh before setting off outside.

_**Dave's Moment**_

The gymnasium was looking immaculate and very pink to celebrate the occasion. Pink banners bearing flowers and the saying, 'Happy Valentines' were strung all over the walls with giant hot pink hearts joining them together. Red confetti was constantly fluttering down on everyone who walked under the machine, making it look like red raindrops were falling. A large table with all sorts of sweets and drinks (none alcoholic, of course) was backed up to one side and the bleachers were filled with the lonely hearted students who only came to end up being a third wheel.

"Are you ready to have some fun?" cried Dr. Ruben to the restless crowd of teenagers. They screamed in response and pumped their fists in the air, clearly wanting her to shove off so the show could start. "Then without further ado, let's begin with The Chipmunks!"

The make shift stage rumbled as the first two rows of audience slapped their hands on the edge. The murmur of a guitar started to buzz as the lights turned on to reveal Dave holding Alvin's prized Black Beauty and Simon, Jeanette, Theodore and Eleanor standing in formation. Once the audience shut up, the drummer started to tap the high-hat cymbal to show the pace. Then Dave joined in with a soft tune, driving the crowd into hysterics once more. The rest of the band joined in as Simon took the lead.

_**Welcome to our fun tonight,**_

_**We know you're here to bring it on.**_

_**The excitement-so hard to describe,**_

_**From just singing it in an old song.**_

The music took on a rockier beat and Simon sang on as if nothing had changed.

_**You know I'm here to brighten your day,**_

_**And to rock your world all night.**_

_**Don't pretend that it's all the same,**_

_**Cause what I do is way outta sight.**_

The crowd continued to roar and scream their delight as the chaperones kept a look out for any misbehaviour. Toby watched on in awe when the song came to a guitar solo and Dave went off his nut. It was clear to see where Alvin got his skills from as Dave's fingers danced and slid along the strings. He was having so much fun that he even let loose enough to pull off a power slide!

Then came the chant of, "Ross! Ross! Ross! Ross!"

Dave felt exhilarated. He hadn't performed on stage since his college days, but it didn't seem to take much to get over his nerves and rock on! He put everything he had into this one moment as he felt all eyes in him. It was his time to shine and screw anybody who felt otherwise! A smug grin worthy of Alvin graced his features with one eye ridge cocked.

It was only two minutes, but to him it felt like a lifetime in the sunshine before the song continued, Dave still rocking on like a trooper.

_**The Punch**_

A little later in the night, Simon and Jeanette were occupied in a very awkward waltz as they and 50 other couples started to slow dance. Simon was doing fine and would've been moving quite easily if it weren't for Jeanette. She was enjoying herself, but still managed to step on Simons toes, causing him to jolt in pain as her claws pierced the top of his feet. He tried to hide his hisses of pain, but Jeanette noticed every single time.

"Oh, I'm sorry Simon," Jeanette said worriedly as Simon gasped again. This time his left foot actually started to bleed.

"Don't worry about it, Jeanie. I know you're just nervous," Simon said reassuringly. Jeanette still looked sad though, her ears arched. Simon smiled warmly and adjusted his arms so they were now around her waist, "Okay, let's just take a deep breath. We don't even have to move our feet a lot to dance."

"Really?" Jeanette asked shyly. Simon smiled again and pulled back a little. Jeanette got the message and threw her arms around his neck. Now clinging to each other, they gently swayed back and forth to the beat of the music. Jeanette slowly calmed her nerves and laid her head on her mate's shoulder. After a few moments, Simon gradually began to rotate them in circles.

"See, isn't this nice?" asked Simon softly. Jeanette got lost in his piercing blue eyes and began to kiss him as a response. Simon deepened and smiled into the kiss; he preferred nuzzling, but it would look weird to the human community if he did so tonight.

The tiny whiskers on Simon's face started to tickle Jeanette's nose. She started to giggle. Simon opened his eyes in confusion and pulled away from the still giggling Chipette. She stared back with the cutest guilty look he had ever seen before.

"Sorry," she apologised again, "You're whiskers were tickling me again."

Simon chuckled and pecked her nose, "Well, if I didn't need them so much I would get rid of them. But then again, I love hearing you laugh."

"You're so sweet," Jeanette cooed, pecking him on the cheek, "No wonder I feel so lucky to have been Claimed by you."

'Claiming' is how Talking Chipmunks became mates in the first place. It was the male that initiated it all. There were three stages to this process. The first is the Courting, which only had to go on for a full week before proceeding to the second step. The second step is to wait til a full moon came; the male would take his beloved out under it and begin to say a vow, promoting his love for her. If she accepted the vow, then stage three could take place. Stage three is...well...mating itself.

Just as the bespectacled couple started reminiscing on that special night, somebody had decided to ruin this one. Both gave a squeal as a pink liquid splashed all over them, staining their clothes almost immediately. There was a moment when time seemed to stand still, as Jeanette looked down at her drenched and ruined dress through her stained glasses, her curled locks dripping on the floor. She cried out in shock and despair

Simon looked up in rage to see Marcus Marshall, the replacement Quarterback for Ryan and Marni's boyfriend, sneering down at them. He held a plastic cup in his hand; they had just been drenched in the punch.

"Oops sorry, didn't see you!" Marcus jeered.

Couples surrounding them stopped and stared. Some looked shocked, most gave Marcus evil glares, but there were a few people who were laughing that the nerdiest couple in school just got pranked. Eleanor and Theodore came sprinting over at once. Dave hadn't seen it, but his ears detected the squeals and he hopped off the DJ's desk to investigate. Toby saw Dave move in and decided to follow.

Simon gazed at Jeanette and his anger increased when she saw that she was nearly in tears. Her eyes were watering as they continued to dart around at the damage and her face had turned red. Eleanor was quick to grab her paw and led her sister away to the toilets, leaving Theodore to try and calm down the irritant and angered Simon, who was giving the human the look of upmost loathing. Marcus just stood there and laughed.

"What's going on here?" Toby called, trying to look as tough as he could as he strutted up to the jock. Easy to say, it didn't work. Even at 25, Toby looked like an easy target. Turned out the effort was not needed anyway.

The second Marcus turned around to come up with an excuse; a cream pie smacked him straight in the face! SPLAT! Everybody laughed as Marcus blinked stupidly and spun around again to see where it had come from. He opened his mouth again only to get more cream on his lips as another pie slammed in his face, covering his vision.

Dr. Ruben came storming over, her hair flying all over the place. She cried out in angst when she lay her eyes on the punch covered Simon, the pie covered Marcus and the pie flinging Dave on the snack table. Dave laughed as he loaded a chocolate cupcake onto his makeshift catapult, but caught the principal's eye at the last moment and dropped it, smiling sheepishly at her.

She was not impressed...

Dr. Ruben had to put an end to it before this started turning into yet another food fight fiasco.

_**A/N: That is the worst ending to a chapter I have ever written, I swear to God! **_

_**For those who think that Theonore aren't getting enough attention, chillax! That is a work in progress for the next chapter! There won't be much Alvittany romance for Valentine's Day, because a particularly romantic scene is coming up for them in a few chapters time!**_

_**I'm actually concerned that I'm rushing the story a little bit, but that's because the important part hasn't started yet!**_

_**I can confirm that Vinny is joining the story**_ _**as Dave's love interest, but there's an obstacle standing in his way!**_

_**If you have an idea of how I can smoothly get her in, that would be much appreciated!**_


	14. Funny,Cute and Horrifying

_**Chapter 14: Funny, Cute and Horrifying**_

Jeanette continued to cry as Eleanor dragged her into the toilets. Her dress was beyond fixable and H]her fur was sticky and matted. Her mascara ran down and darkened the fur under her eyes. She felt so humiliated to have looked like that, not only in front of her mate, who she should always look presentable in front of, but the entire school body as well.

"I-I-I c-can't b-believe M-Marcus d-did t-that!" Jeanette sobbed as Eleanor started rubbing her down with a wet paper towel.

"That was completely out of line," Eleanor agreed in a sympathetic voice. She couldn't imagine how her sister was feeling right now.

The door swung open again and this time Julie came running in. She gasped in terror at the poor little Chipette and hurried over to the sink they were standing in, "Are you okay Sweetie? I didn't see it happen, but as soon as I heard it I knew I had to find you!"

"No I'm not okay!" Jeanette squealed as she rubbed her glasses clean, "My Valentine's day has been ruined! Everything was perfect for once!"

Julie gave a sigh and rubbed behind the distressed Chipette's ears. Eleanor patted her back, "We know Jean. Just when we thought the bullying was over..."

Suddenly, the door opened once more and this time it was Simon. He had felt a huge tug at his conscious when he realised that his mate was nowhere in sight and he didn't know where she was. But with an educated guess, he got it right first time. Jeanette swung around when she caught Simon's scent and was immediately swept into an embrace. Somebody shoved her glasses back on. Her blurry vision cleared and she was startled by the victorious grin Simon was wearing.

"Simon, what on earth are you smiling for?" she asked incredulously. Simon's grin widened and he pecked her on the cheek.

"Marcus isn't exactly smiling either anymore," Simon replied happily. Seeing the still confused looks on the girl's faces, he continued, "He got his payback when Dave sent a few pies flying in his direction. Dr. Ruben is absolutely furious. She's giving both Marcus and Dave a good talking to in her office as I speak."

Eleanor clapped her paws to her mouth in shock, "_Dave _actually caused trouble of his own free will? IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!"

Simon chuckled again, "I don't think there is anything that Dave hasn't done to shock us since he became a chipmunk. Besides, the DNA we used to accomplish the solution was Alvin's because he is easily the healthiest and strongest of all of us. There's no point in creating a new chipmunk if it's going to be a runt."

"So I _am _part Alvin," came a grainy voice from behind them. Nobody had heard Dave and Theodore slip in when Eleanor yelled, "I've been wondering for a while now. How did you manage to get DNA from him?"

"Have you seen the mess Alvin leaves behind when he moults his winter coat?" Jeanette asked. Simon's presence and touch seemed to have been enough to calm her down, "We could've collected a whole suitcase of it if we wanted to and no one would have known the wiser!"

Everybody laughed at that.

"So what happened with Dr. Ruben?" Eleanor asked, "Are you in big trouble?"

Dave shook his head, "Nope. Just a warning this time because apparently I was a 'follower'. Marcus got away with only a lunchtime detention and several photos of him covered in chocolate and cream on Facebook for the whole world to laugh at."

"Who took the photos?" asked Julie.

"Just about everyone with a phone...which means everyone," Simon remarked. Everybody cracked up again, bit Jeanette still felt miserable. She sniffed in Simons embrace, so he nuzzled her. "I think we should go home. Jeanie and I need a shower."

_**When they got home...**_

Since it was only 8:00 when they arrived home, Julie and Toby had to return to the school until 11pm. Dave walked straight to Alvin's room to put his guitar back, then went back to the living room to watch a bit of TV. Simon and Jeanette had stealthily snuck away so they could shower together. In Brittany's room, she and Alvin had already dozed off side by side. Brittany wore a pink and gold heart shaped bracelet Alvin had gotten her for Valentines. Both slept with smiles on their faces.

Meanwhile, Theodore had a surprise for his sweetheart. He found her in the kitchen, finished creating delicious sundaes for the both of them. In one bowl was vanilla, chocolate and strawberry with crushed cookies sloshed into the mix, with m&m's and sprinkles coating the top. The other was all chocolate with thick creamy mountain of mousse. Theodore licked his lips as he snuck up behind Eleanor and covered her eyes with his paws. Eleanor jumped and dropped her spoon in fright.

Theodore giggled, "Guess who!"

Then Eleanor got the game and giggled too, "Um, I don't know...let me think...Jesse McCartney?"

"Noooo..."

"Justin Bieber?"

"Eww, no way! Guess again!"

"Shemar Moore?"

"You wish, sweet-cheeks," said Theodore, trying to sound tough. Eleanor chuckled and pulled Theodore's paws away. She swivelled around to find herself nose to nose with her counterpart. They both grinned and let their lips meet each others in a sweet and tender kiss. As the youngest, they really didn't see the big deal in nuzzling just yet.

After a few moments they pulled apart, but their paws stayed intertwined. Theodore got lost in Eleanor's apple-green eyes. She really was the sweetest of all Chipettes. Theodore had never seen her as a girl to hold a grudge (not including Ian Hawke. That's mutual between every Seville) despite her sometimes tough demeanour when anybody tried to pick on her. It was that attitude that inspired Theodore to join her in her mission to become a healthier person. Together, they were slowly conquering the odds against them.

Eleanor loved Theodore for not being anything like his brothers. Simon and Alvin had a few similarities, but Theodore was unique with his innocence and endless supply of kindness and cuteness. Sure, he wasn't as smart as Simon and not as musically talented as Alvin, but he definitely wasn't stupid and could whip up a batch of cookies that were as light as air and could melt your fur with their sweetness.

"I've got something for you," Theodore whispered, breaking the tender silence. Eleanor's eyes became illuminated by her smile.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. Theodore nodded and pulled a small box out of his pocket, "As soon as I saw this in the store window a few months ago, I knew you'd love it. I ordered for it to be custom made in your size since it was way too big."

Theodore opened the box to reveal a gorgeous silver necklace with an elaborately decorated love heart. A stone the colour of Eleanor's eyes sat in the middle of the heart. Simple, but beautiful. Eleanor gasped in awe, her eyes darting between her boyfriend and her present. She was speechless. She had never received a Valentine's Day gift before, so it was kind of a special moment for her.

"Oh, Theodore, it's amazing! Thank you so much!" she squealed and threw her arms around him. Theodore stumbled back a little, still holding the box in one paw, but hugged her back all the same.

"I knew you'd love it, Ellie," Theodore said as Eleanor drew back, "Would you like me to put it on for you?"

Eleanor nodded vigorously and turned around so he could do just that. She lifted her hair. Theodore took the necklace from the box, came forward and gently clipped it on. Eleanor grabbed the spoon and looked at her distorted reflection. The gleaming green heart sat neatly on her chest and it matched her dress.

"It looks amazing on you. I knew it would," complemented Theodore.

"You're too good for me Teddy," Eleanor sighed. Theodore clasped her paws again and kissed her deeply.

"I'm perfect for you, Ellie," replied Theodore, "And you're perfect for me. Now let's get started on those sundaes before they completely melt and we're left with nothing but mush!"

_**Later...**_

Dave was deeply traumatised. He lay in bed shaking like a furry maraca as he tried desperately to get that image out of his head. How could they just go and do that while everyone else was still awake? Especially in a place where anyone could find them...like he just did...He could still hear them in the back of his mind..."OH MY GOD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! EWWW!"

_**Uh, perhaps I should explain...**_

Dave had wandered down the hallway, looking for the bespectacled couple. It was bedtime and he wanted to say goodnight. He had looked everywhere. They weren't in their bedrooms and Theodore and Eleanor hadn't seen them since they came in to wash off. So Dave had resorted to using his sense of smell, but scent tracking wasn't exactly his strength. Twice, he had followed a honey scent to realise that it was Alvin and the smell of citrus had led him to the orange and lemon trees outside.

Simon and Jeanette seemed to disappear a lot for hours at a time. Everybody had noticed it. They'd go somewhere all happy and laughing and then come later quiet as mice. It was pretty creepy. At first, Dave thought they were reading an extensively long book together or working thrice as hard on an assignment. But it didn't seem to fit as they were never where he checked.

He remembered watching a show where the police made the search dogs sniff a piece of clothing first, but Simon was so neat there was nothing lying around to sniff. But after a quick brainstorm, he wondered if they could possibly be in the lab. Dave had banned them from working in there at night after the horrendous exploding-luminous-fish incident. Perhaps they had just forgotten about the rule and were checking in on the reversal solution.

Dave reached the door to the lab and walked over to it. There light coming from the crack under the door, so someone was definitely there. Dave curiously pressed his ear to the door and heard several things at once. There was a low rustling sound as if someone was jumping up and down on a beanbag and two voices that were unmistakably belonging to the smart couple. After a moment, Dave could register what was being said, but once he did, he felt like he wanted to vomit.

_**Uhhh...yeah, let's not go into detail of what they were saying for the sake of Dave's sanity...**_

Simon and Jeanette? _Simon and Jeanette? _What the hell? Out of all three couples, Dave thought they would be the _last _couple to take it to that level! After Alvin and Brittany got together, Dave had started a bet with himself that they would already be there by the time her ribs completely heal. Theodore and Eleanor were far from it, but even they seemed more intimate than the bespectacled couple.

Don't get him wrong, he wasn't angry at either of them now that he understood the process every chipmunk goes through with finding a life partner, but he was still shocked. How long had it been going on for? How long could you hide something like this away from your family? And more importantly, why wouldn't they tell anyone about this? Wasn't it a big deal when a new couple is created? Didn't they celebrate it?

Sighing heavily, Dave curled in his usual ball, bowing his tail out of his face. There was now a dent in the pillow where he curled up and it was quite comfy. He closed his eyes and continued to fight the images and thoughts swirling in his head so he could get a decent night's sleep. He tried to imagine Toby failing to tell a student off for spiking the punch with alcohol. It worked. Dave fell into a deep sleep, beginning to dream of his high school days and ways to get back at Marcus and the entire football team. They'd get their comeuppance. They'll see. They'll all see...

_**Author's Note: I don't care if it is criticism, review!**_


	15. The Week

_**Chapter 15: The Week**_

**Monday**

Dave was now watching Simon and Jeanette like a hawk. At school, everybody was still laughing at the photos of Marcus in his cream covered suit. Dave was officially a school hero by now, getting high fives from random students since he was one of the reasons Marni was expelled, Ryan and Xander had been downgraded to losers and now Marcus had been cut off from becoming the new school bully. He was also infamous for the guitar solo he did at the Ball.

Not much happened on Monday to make a big deal out of; although Dave found out that he had received full marks on a mini quiz in Music on the Romantic Period. Music was easily his favourite subject. It amused him to watch the other students struggle while he finished the worksheet in a matter of minutes. Being the kind person he is though, he helped out the people who looked desperate. When he first adopted the boys, Dave had come up with an easy learning system, which all three chipmunks lapped up in a matter of weeks. Alvin could play Stairway on his guitar after only half an hour.

After school, Brittany threw a tantrum. She was so sick of lying around and she wasn't even in any pain (not counting when she had to use the loo). As much as he loved her, Alvin snapped back at her, telling her to shut up. No need to tell you that all hell went loose, they screamed at each other until they were hoarse. There had been a lot of tension between them since Brittany started complaining a few days before. In the end though, they settled down and agreed that things will be easier once Brittany can movie around again. They resolved their issues with a talk and a long nuzzling session.

**Tuesday**

Tuesday was a lot less eventful.

In fact, it was a complete bore-fest, unless you count the ever so fun lecture on the Industrial Revolution in History, or the amazingly compelling assignment on Surds in Maths. Dave felt like slamming his head on the desk every time he came across something that wants to make him scream, "When are we ever going to need this crap anyway?"

There were no Music or English classes to stop what felt like his brain leaking out through his ears. Simon and Jeanette were finding it all fascinating (of course), Dave was pretty sure Theodore had fallen asleep for a vast majority of the day and Eleanor was writing what he thought was a new recipe to try in the cooking class.

Wednesday was going to be a lot more interesting though...

**Wednesday**

"Is that too much pressure Brittany?" asked Dr. Chris.

It was time for Brittany to get her check up and possibly even her rib cast removed. The x-rays had already been taken and now they were just waiting for them to be developed. Toby and the chipmunks all sat patiently while Alvin sat by Brittany on the steel table in Dr. Chris's office. The vet was gently pressing on the rib cage to see if Brittany was still finding any pain.

"No, I'm just not hurting anymore," Brittany said confidently. Alvin smiled at the happy look on her face.

"That's good to hear," replied Chris. He really meant it too, "Hopefully I can cut that cast off today, but for now, let's get that silly bandage off your head. The bump has disappeared."

A few moments later, Brittany's forehead was both bandage and bump free. Alvin pushed her fringe back and kissed it. Chris caught Alvin's eye and winked knowingly. Alvin smirked and rolled his eyes. Of course, Chris ended up being right about him and Brittany. _Smartass,_ Alvin thought savagely, taking Brittany's paw in his.

Soon enough, Dolores made her reappearance with the x-rays all developed. She strung them one by one on the lit up boards. Chris walked over to the wall and had a good look. Alvin looked over as well, not that he could tell anything by them, but he hadn't seen many x-rays down (that wasn't his own) and was curious. Everything looked just fine to him, a thought shared with the medical staff.

"Everything seems to be in order," grunted Dolores, who sounded like she had a head cold, "Looks completely fine."

"Definitely," agreed Chris, "It usually takes a little bit longer, but you've been well cared for, Brittany."

"I know," said Brittany, turning to Alvin again, "I have my sisters and my boyfriend to thank for that."

The three mentioned chipmunks grinned at that. Dolores had spun around in interest when Brittany had said 'boyfriend'. She saw the way Brittany was looking at her red clad counterpart. '_They'll be closer than that soon enough,'_ she predicted. She smiled to herself as she collected a mini-razor blade from one of the various drawers in the room.

"Here." Dolores passed the blade to Chris. Chris walked back over to Brittany, who looked a little weary at the sharpness of the blade. He was used to this sort of reaction from animals, but Brittany would be easier to deal with. On his instruction, Alvin helped slip Brittany's shirt over her head so she was wearing nothing but the cast over her torso. Without further ado, Chris got to work and sliced through the cast.

Still traumatised about Friday night, Dave found himself hoping that Alvin wouldn't be undressing Brittany anytime soon in future. He knew that it was a selfish thought for chipmunks not to do that sort of thing, but it's bad enough that he nearly walked in on one couple. Imagine trying to avoid two of them! Dave shuddered in his seat and turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.

Brittany was finally free of all restriction. Jeanette and Eleanor wrapped her in a hug. "I'm free! At last! Wooohoo!" Brittany cheered. She moonwalked backwards and flipped to land straight in front of Alvin. He was smiling warmly, pleased with how happy she was. She jumped in his arms and giggled.

'You okay there?" Alvin asked, half-laughing at her enthusiasm.

"Never better," she replied. Alvin gently pulled her closer and pecked her nose. She wrapped her arms around him and nearly squeezed him to death. "Oh, it's so good to able to give you a proper hug!"

"I'd enjoy it too if I could breathe!" wheezed Alvin. Everybody else watched in amusement as Brittany let go and Alvin gasped for air, clutching his chest. Dave chuckled as Alvin did his usual over-exaggeration routine. Chris was actually concerned, that is until Alvin started laughing as well.

Brittany wrapped her arms around his neck, "You're so silly sometimes! But...that's why I love you."

"I love you too." Alvin whispered back. They came together for a kiss.

**Thursday**

Despite Chris's insistence, Brittany returned to school the next day, but only with the promise that she wouldn't push herself too hard. She and Alvin's return caused a stir in the corridors between classes when they walked through the school paw in paw. The entire cheerleading squad greeted Brittany with excitement. Daisy Whitfield, the new captain of the squad brought great news with her at recess.

"I'm co-captain!" Brittany squealed as she leapt onto the lunch table, "Daisy like _just _told me! How amazing is this?"

"Well done Brittany," congratulated Dave proudly.

"This is fantastic!" Jeanette cried, joining her older sister in a victory dance, "Just don't let the power get to your head, Britt!"

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it!" Brittany joked.

Dave walked over to Alvin, smirking, "So I hear you're dating the co-captain of the cheerleading squad."

"Yeah I guess so,"

"Good kisser?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

"Awesome."

They fist-bumped.

By the end of the day, rumours were flying around like paper planes about Alvin and Brittany being together. For once though, they were happy to be talked about like this. While some of the tales were pathetic and way off the truth, they all had one thing right; they were happy together.

**Friday**

Alvin sat out on the porch step Friday night, deep in thought for once in his life. It wasn't the type of contemplating that would lead him into trouble; he had given that up months ago. Nope. He had something much more important in mind. It had been tugging at his brain since Valentine's Day. He couldn't believe he was actually at this stage in his life. It seems only yesterday that he was an immature 10 year old chipmunk, thinking that girls have cooties and dreading the age when he would do this.

He loved Brittany. That he was dead sure about that. But was he contemplating this too soon? He knew the law stated that courtship could only last 5 months without a 'Claiming' occurring. After that, the female was welcome to leave to search for a better male. That meant Theodore had two months left to make his move. But Alvin didn't think he could even wait one month. It had been two weeks since he had admitted his feelings for her. What should he do?

Alvin was so focused that he barely noticed Dave coming out through the cat flap. He laid eyes on Alvin. After a moment, he tilted his head from side to side in curiosity. What was Alvin thinking about that made him look like that? Dave stalked forward, still on all fours and joined Alvin on the step, his legs swinging over the edge.

"What's up, Al?"

Alvin's ear twitched, but it was almost two minutes before he gave a straight answer," I'm just really confused at the moment. I'm at a pivotal moment in my life and I don't know if I'm ready to take it on yet."

Dave looked confused, "Just how important is this 'pivotal moment'?"

"It's my passage into adulthood. It's the beginning of a whole new chain of events to follow," replied Alvin, never taking his eyes off the stars.

"Aha, I see," Dave said, now catching on with the conversation, "And I suppose you won't be taking this passage alone when you do follow it? Brittany will go with you?"

"Well, it can't exactly happen without her," Alvin murmured, chortling at the absurdity of the thought, "That would be a bit odd."

Dave chuckled too," Of course not."

Alvin turned serious again, "But seriously, I don't know what to do! My heart is telling me to go for it, but my brain can't make up its mind!"

"Well what are your instincts telling you to do?" enquired Dave, "You're the one who told me to trust them over everything else when you come to a crossroad in your path."

Alvin stayed silent for a long while. Dave waited patiently. This was obviously something a chipmunk can't rush. Finally, Alvin answered, "I'll do it. Brittany deserves to be protected and showered in love every day and I know I can make that a reality."

A proud smile graced Dave's features. He couldn't help it; the Alvin that had just looked at him didn't have the face of a 15 year old teenager. The Alvin that sat next to him now had somehow morphed into a young man within the space of a sentence. As a human, he wouldn't have noticed it, but instead it was a proud moment.

He even found himself fighting back tears as he said, "Alvin, you have come so far from being that little chipmunk who dropped a glass jar on my head in 2007. You've been a pain sometimes...well, most of the time...actually, all the time to be truthful, but that doesn't matter anymore. Just look at you now. I know I haven't said this nearly often enough, but...I'm proud of you, son."

"Thanks Dad," Alvin, whispered as they caught each other in a hug, "You never said it, but I knew. And you know what? I'm just as proud to call you my father."

For the sakes of their masculinity, they parted awkwardly and looked away to clear their throats and dry their eyes.

"So how are you feeling about all of this now?" asked Dave, once the awkwardness had worn off.

Alvin beamed, "Nervous. Happy, but nervous. "

Dave stood up, smirked and clapped him on the back, "Well, don't worry about it too much. If Simon can do it, you can to!"

"Say WHAT?" Alvin's jaw dropped to the ground. He jumped in front of Dave to stop him from walking away and shook him, "Are you freakin' serious? How did that happen, how do you know and why didn't he tell us?"

So much for looking like a young adult...

"Yes I am serious, I don't know, I almost walked in on them Friday night and again I don't know," Dave replied. Alvin looked shocked, admiring, proud and disgusted all at the same time. "Listen Alvin," Dave warned, "Don't go spreading this around, alright? Simon and Jeanette will tell everyone when they are good and ready."

"But!"

"Alvin!"

"Ugghhh, fine!"


	16. Together Forever

**Author's Notes: I'm not usually an egotistical person, but I am a little disappointed at the lack of reviews lately. I'm know I haven't been updating as often, but there's always a great feeling when I wake up in the morning, check my email and see like, 6 reviews. It's awesome.**

_**Chapter 16: Together Forever**_

Saturday night finally arrived and Alvin was ready to set the plan in motion. At midnight, he pushed his blanket away and leaped out of bed, fully clothed in his hoodie and made his way out of the room. As quietly as he could, he wandered down the hall, stopping at Brittany's bedroom door, which was wide open. He peered inside to see that she had already left. Perfect, he thought as he rushed down the stairs and out through the back door cat flap.

Landing gracefully on his feet, Alvin bounded across the backyard and over the fence into the paddock, straight to where he had set everything up that afternoon. He followed the light coming from over the small hill and grinned when he laid his eyes on his beloved. Brittany sat on the damp grass, illuminated by the moon and gazing up at the stars. She wore the exact same outfit she had worn when Alvin first laid eyes on her and fell in love.

Coming up behind her, Alvin placed a paw on her shoulder. She jumped a little, but relaxed once she saw who it was. She smiled lovingly and leaned into his embrace when he sat down. She giggled when Alvin gently nipped at her ears and kissed them, making them flicker. He had never done it before and it tickled more than she thought it would.

"Should I be concerned?" she asked when he started to lick the fur behind her ears. She only got a gentle growl in response.

"Not only do you smell delicious, you taste delicious too," Alvin gradually answered, burying his face in her neck. He smooched up her neck in a line before nuzzling into her cheek, allowing her scent to fill his nose once again.

Brittany nuzzled back, softly sighing into his ear, "I'm glad you think so. So, what's the big occasion that has prevented me from getting any beauty sleep?"

It took Alvin a minute to settle down and readjust himself. He cleared his throat and put on a more serious tone. This was something that you could never take half hearted and lightly. This could just as well be the most important moment of their lives. Nervously, Alvin let go of his counterpart and shuffled around on his knees to face her. She peered at him curiously, her eyes reflecting the stars. Alvin allowed himself to get lost in them before he began.

"Brittany," Alvin began, softly taking her paws in his, "As you well know, I've been in love with you since day one. Despite all of our differences and fights, my love has never wavered in the slightest. You've always been my number one priority, even if I haven't been able to show it. All of those times when I seemed to be my cocky, arrogant self, inside I was melting in your presence. All I ever wanted to do was hold you, love you and sing all of our troubles away."

Brittany gave a stunning smile as Alvin continued, "You're not a hot, sexy diva, but you are a beautiful, talented singer, who deserves all the cheering and standing ovations an audience can give. You deserve the fame, money and the respect. But you also deserve a nice home and someone loving to come home to at night. You deserve a nice family and the opportunity to have one of your own. I can't make you more talented, but I can give you the rest if you really want it."

Brittany's jaw dropped. Was this what she thought it was? Was Alvin taking the vow of commitment? She glanced up into the sky and saw the full moon. It was! This was the night that every Chipette dreamed of: the night that she would make the transition from girl to woman by the time the sun rose and begins a new life with a devoted partner at her side.

With this realisation settled into her brain, Brittany got on her knees as well and moved closer to Alvin, looking him dead in the eye, "Alvin, there's nothing I want more than to be by your side, to be your lover and to be the mother of your children. I've been yours since you stole my heart in the school hallway. I love you more than anything and will do anything for you."

It felt like they were in a fairytale. Fireflies flittered all around them, acting almost like Christmas lights. A cool breeze ran through their fur and rippled the long grass around them.

Alvin looked thoroughly relieved and asked curiously, "Brittany Rose Miller, do you accept my vow and devotion? Will you allow me move us on to Bonding so we can prepare a new future together?"

"I do. I will," Brittany replied sweetly.

Again, Alvin chuckled in relief. He moved in closer to her so they could cuddle again. This time, it was Brittany's turn to be nervous. If there's one thing she remembered being taught by her mother is that the true colours of a Chipmunk would show through in stage three of the Claiming. Alvin had always been moderately gentle when showing affection, but when he was going to take it to the next level, it could easily turn rough.

Feeling deliriously happy, Alvin nuzzled his beloved and placed chaste kisses on her forehead, hoping to take her mind off the fact that he was pushing her slowly onto her back. With one arm, he removed his hoodie and turned it into a makeshift pillow as he laid her onto the grass. Now he was on top of her. Their tails began to intertwine. There was no going back.

Brittany moaned softly as Alvin began to trace her sides. He nuzzled her neck and helped her slide out of the tie and pink jacket. Despite the coolness of the night, she stayed warm while Alvin slowly removed all of her clothing and tossed it behind him. From here, it was all natural. For the first time, Brittany felt a strong desire in her heart the more Alvin explored her body. She could sense his desire growing too. She opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her with lust.

No words needed to be spoken. It was time.

_**An hour and a half later...**_

Brittany was in pain. As magical and special was Claiming was, there's a major downside to it; some Chipettes spend the first moments of their new lives in agony. Every muscle from her knees up to her lower abdominal muscles were seizing and cramping up. It felt like they were on fire. It had started unexpectedly half an hour after they had finished mating. Everything had been so pleasurable up until that moment.

So that's why they were now in the bathroom that was furthest away from all the bedrooms. Alvin had carried Brittany from the paddock, completely ignoring his own muscle soreness that wasn't even a quarter as painful as his counterpart's. Brittany lay next to the sink, trying not to cry out as Alvin filled the sink with water hot enough to relax her body. Dave had the sinks custom made to so they could double as little chipmunk baths.

Gradually, the bath was filled up enough. Alvin hopped in first and then helped Brittany ease herself into the water. She squealed in pain when the inflamed muscles protested at the movement. It took a few moments before the water soaked through her fur and started to do its job. Brittany sighed as she rested her head against the wall of the sink, feeling her muscles decreasing the cramping one by one. But the pain was still there.

Knowing that the water wasn't going to be enough, Alvin set to work. He sat beside the sore Chipette and ran a paw firmly over her left thigh, digging his fingers into her skin. Brittany closed her eyes in bliss as he massaged and manipulated every muscle until they settled down.

"Alvin, that feels amazing," she moaned.

Alvin chuckled, "That's definitely not the first time you've said that tonight, Sweetheart."

Brittany opened her eyes and gave him a playful glare, "Oh get over yourself! If I wasn't in pain right now, I'd smack you!"

"Wouldn't be the first time you'd have done that tonight either!"

"Alvin!"

Alvin laughed and pecked her nose as he continued to work his magic on her right thigh, "I'm just kidding Britt."

"I know you are," Brittany replied sweetly. She smirked as she added, "But don't get used to getting away with it all the time. I may belong to you now, but we both know who'll be making all the decisions don't we?"

Alvin gave an answer that she wasn't expecting, "The both of us together. I know that as the male, I'm always supposed to have the last say, but I don't want to have that kind of control over you. If there's one thing that the humans have right, it's equality between genders, don't you think?"

"Definitely," agreed Brittany, although still surprised at Alvin's maturity in his answer, "A couple of weeks before we came to LA, my sisters and I stayed with an elderly couple in their oak tree. The male was really strict with her and treated her like a servant. She seemed to be happy, but I could tell she hated every moment. You could just see it in her eyes. I don't want to end up like that."

"And I won't let you," Alvin vowed firmly. By now, he had finished massaging. Brittany shifted her legs and found that she could move them with ease. "Sweetheart, the day you feel like that is the day I stop loving you."

"Which means it'll never happen, right?"

"Exactly."

They had a quick nuzzle before lathering each other up with soap to wash the dirt and grass out of their coats and hopped out of the dirty, cold water. Alvin pulled the plug. Brittany threw him a face washer/towel and they dried themselves off, occasionally stopping to shake like a dog. As Brittany threw her hair back into a ponytail, Alvin ran off and retrieved pyjamas for both of them.

Alvin was already wearing his when he came back in. He handed Brittany hers and she slipped into it. Paw in paw, they set off down the hall, past the laundry and up the stairs. Brittany's room was first, but Alvin seemed surprised when she stopped to go in.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Why would you be going in there?"

"Uhhh, maybe it's because it's my room and I'm going in to sleep? It's been a long night you know."

Alvin frowned and shook his head, "Nonsense! How are we supposed to Bond if we're separated at night?"

"Well then, by all means join me!" Brittany cried in an exasperated whisper. She made a gesture for him to follow her, but he stayed put.

Alvin shook his head again, "Sorry Britt. I may not want to have complete control over you, but I'm still a male and I still have my pride. You belong to me, so you're the one moving."

Brittany looked scandalised, "But-but!" She was quickly hushed with a kiss on the lips.

"Relax Sweetheart!" Alvin said soothingly, "Don't worry. You'll only have to hate it for tonight. I spent all of today dusting and cleaning it out so tomorrow we can turn it into _our_ room. There's plenty of room for all your clothes and I can clear some stuff off the walls for your most favourite posters and photos. We can redecorate the room and even repaint the walls if you want it done."

Brittany smiled gratefully and caressed his cheek, "You actually _cleaned _your room?"

Alvin grinned cheekily, "Anything for my Mate."

That was the first time he'd called her that. Brittany felt a wave of happiness wash over her as Alvin lifted her up bridle style and carried her to his-er-_their _room. Alvin backed into the bedroom and placed her back on her feet. He closed the door behind them and followed her into the bed.

Together, they got under the covers. Brittany curled in a ball with her head on her paws, her back to Alvin. He shifted over and curled against her, his head in the crook of her neck. He wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace, as if it would save her from bad dreams.

It was only three weeks ago that these two were best friends secretly crushing on each other. It was only two weeks ago that Alvin declared his love for her and they came together. And it was only just over an hour ago that they had become one for life. Things couldn't be any better as they drifted into the land of nod, both dreaming of the future ahead.

_**A/N: How are the others going to react when they see Brittany moving in? Will they keep it a secret like Simon and Jeanette or will they shout it off the rooftops?**_


	17. Secrets Come Alive

**Authors Notes: Well, we are nearly in the middle of the story. For the second half, it is going to become centred strongly on Dave's romance and the scenes for Alvittany will be cut back. I have them at the point I need them at for the story to move on. **

**Chapter 17: Secrets Come Alive**

The next morning found Brittany slowly waking up as the sunlight blared through the gap in the curtains. Her eyes fluttered open. She gave a soft yawn and went to sit up, but with a jolt she realised that a pair of arms were holding her around the waist. Brittany gently turned in her spot to see Alvin still snoozing. Her pillow had actually been his chest. She laid her head back down and could feel his heart beating against her cheek.

Slowly, piece by piece, the night before revealed itself Brittany's memory. A giddy smile traced across her lips. Last night had been the happiest she had ever felt. Not even performing at the Grammy's had made her feel this warm inside when she looked back on it. Alvin had been so gentle and caring. He must've known how scared she was to give herself to him and didn't want to add any pressure to her stress. The stress had been blissfully short lived.

The aftermath though had been quite painful. Brittany shifted her legs and sure enough, her thighs were still a little stiff and sore. Maybe it was just a sign that it was time for her act a strong adult Chipette. In Talking Chipmunk culture, the Chipettes were expected to be busy little homebodies who looked after their mates, did as they were told and bear children when their mate decided to. But luckily for her and her sisters, Brittany could be who ever she wanted in human society. Besides, Alvin would never treat her like a servant in a million years!

Speak of the handsome devil, Brittany felt movement under her and heard a soft sigh from behind. She lifted her head and sure enough her eyes met her counterparts own golden ones. Alvin's eyes were filled with a sense of warmth and Brittany couldn't help feeling secure and safe in his embrace. This wasn't normal for the outgoing Chipette, but she guessed it was just a part of their Bond.

"Do you know how wonderful it is to wake up to a beautiful face?" whispered Alvin. Brittany gave a mischievous smile.

"No, you'll have to fill me in. I'm looking now and I ain't getting anything," she teased.

Alvin rolled his eyes, "Trust you to ruin our first morning together, Britt. You're breaking my heart here..."

"Aw, I'm sorry, babe. Here, I'll make it all better," Brittany cooed. She leaned over and nuzzled his cheek lovingly and pulled back. "There is that better?"

"You work fast," Alvin remarked.

"I can't start off the day with a grumpy mate, now can I?" Brittany replied. Alvin shook his head. "Exactly. Now, let's get up and get something to eat. We have a busy day today. Not only do we have to move my stuff in here, but we've got to tell our siblings too."

Alvin let out a loud groan, "Oh man, that's going to be interesting. Eleanor will be happy for us and so will Jeanette, but I'm not sure about everyone else."

Brittany sighed, "Well, there's only one way to find out..."

_**9.40am**_

The red and pink couple had woken up significantly earlier than the others, so no one saw them leave Alvin's room together. Sure enough, Dave was already sitting on the kitchen table with his usual cup of coffee and the morning newspaper spread out under him. After a while, the others woke up too and everybody gorged themselves on toaster waffles.

"So, what's everybody getting up to today?" asked Dave, "I'm going to do some paperwork I've been neglecting for a few weeks now."

"Well, I've got this new recipe that I want to try again seeing as it failed to cook properly in Home eco," Theodore said. Saying that the cake had failed to cook was an understatement. Everybody had to clear the room because of the smoke coming from the oven!

"I'll help you Teddy," said Eleanor. She'd been there when the emergency sprinklers went off.

"I'm going to be working on the blueprints for a new project in the lab seeing as our last was a huge success," Simon added, looking over at Dave with a small smile. Dave smiled back, but barely. He hadn't been able to look at Simon properly without thinking about a cowboy due to what he had overheard.

"What about you two lovebirds?" Dave asked Alvin and Brittany, who had decided to share the same plate this morning. There was something different about them. Dave could sense a different kind of chemistry going between them and instead of two different scents, there was only the smell of strawberry and cream coming from their direction.

"Oh...Uh...Well, I'm cleaning out my room this morning," Brittany half lied.

Her sisters immediately gave her unbelieving looks.

"You're cleaning out your room...voluntarily?" asked Eleanor suspiciously.

Brittany nodded nervously. Her sisters immediately turned to Alvin, who showed no emotion and shrugged. Jeanette gave Eleanor that look they had seen on Brittany only too many times before.

They were going to get to the bottom of this.

**10:30AM**

Brittany was still finding all of this surreal. What an odd thing it was to know that she would never have a room to herself again and yet, she didn't mind. In fact, she was excited. Stacking her clothes into a skateboard was taking longer than she thought. Alvin had already taken three trips down the hallway to drop the load off and they weren't even halfway!

They hadn't even made it five minutes before they had an argument about which posters Brittany could hang up. Alvin had already suggested that they could made a collage of all their favourite photos and hang it up, but Justin Bieber, Zac Efron and One Direction posters were out! In retaliation, Brittany had banned him from keeping up a poster of Pamela Anderson in her _Bay Watch _days. Both reluctantly agreed on their part because they knew that it would save them from any future fights.

"Sweetheart, are you sure you need all these clothes?" Alvin asked wearily as he returned with the skateboard in tow, "I don't think you've even worn all of them."

"Yes, I'm sure!" Brittany exclaimed, picking up the last two skirts from the drawers next to her bed, "Do you _want_ your mate to look boring, wearing the same clothes day after day?"

"Britt, I love you no matter how you look," Alvin replied softly, "But I think the rest will have to stay here until we redecorate. We'll get a bigger wardrobe."

Brittany sighed in defeat, "Okay, fine." She placed the skirts on the skateboard and threw on the case full of her makeup, "Let's get my jewellery box on here then..."

Ten minutes later, Alvin pushed the 4th load of stuff down the hallway. Brittany started to get all of the electronic stuff together, contemplating on what colour they should paint the room when her train of thought was broken by a small knock on the open door. Brittany jumped and spun around to see her sisters and Theodore staring in at her.

"Wow, when you clean you room, you really go all out!" Eleanor remarked. Brittany followed her gaze to see the green clad Chipette observing her half empty wardrobe.

Brittany flushed. She knew she couldn't hide their secret and was just waiting for the question to pop up. She decided to just play along with it, "I thought you two were baking this morning," she looked at the green clad couple questioningly. They both shrugged.

"We're waiting for the ingredients to soak in for a little while," Theodore replied.

"We thought we could help you while we waited, but it doesn't seem like you need it," Eleanor added, "Where did your clothes go?"

Brittany caught Jeanette's eye. The bespectacled Chipette was giving her the x-ray look; she was trying to work out what was going on by looking at Brittany's body language. Brittany immediately straightened up, hoping Jeanette didn't notice.

"There's something different about you, Britt," Jeanette enquired softly, "In fact there was something different about Alvin too."

"Was there now?" Alvin came striding in. He was smart enough to leave the skateboard outside, "And what exactly was that, Jean?"

Alvin could sense his mates' anxiety and was quick to grab her paw and squeeze it. He felt her fingers clench tightly on his. Alvin wasn't really bothered that his family wanted to know what was going on. He knew Brittany was nervous, but the sooner they learned the better.

"Well, you for starters seem to be holding yourself straighter," Jeanette began, "You're looking as if you're feeling proud of yourself."

"Well, I certainly do have something to be proud of," Alvin chuckled. Brittany elbowed him in the stomach.

"And you Brittany," Jeanette continued as if she hadn't been interrupted, "I can't pinpoint exactly what it is...but, you look even prettier this morning than usual. I may sound stupid when I say this, but you have this radiant glow."

Brittany smiled in spite of herself. "You think I'm radiant?" she asked softly.

Everybody nodded. Alvin grasped her other paw, leaned forward and whispered, "Come on Britt, let's tell them. They have us cornered and you know they'll stick to us like Velcro until they know."

He pulled back and gave her an enquiring look. Brittany gazed into his trustful eyes and nodded, "Okay, but I want to tell my sisters alone. Take Theodore and tell him, Simon and Dave."

Alvin nodded and walked over to his baby brother, "Come on Theo, I gotta tell you something." They disappeared, leaving the Chipettes alone.

"So are you going to spill?" demanded Eleanor.

Brittany swallowed and her voice shook as she spoke, "Well, yesterday afternoon Alvin came up to me when I was doing my makeup and told me to meet him in the paddock at midnight. The way he said it let me know that he had something romantic in mind, so, of course I went along with it. So I met up with him at said time and...well..."

"'Well' what?" asked Jeanette impatiently. She had an inkling of where this was going and wanted to know if she was right.

Brittany felt better now that she was getting this out in the open, so she decided to finish strongly. "Girls," she stated proudly, "Alvin claimed me last night!"

There was a shocked silence. Jeanette and Eleanor, jaws dropped, looked at each other, than at their sister, to each other again, than burst forward and nearly knocked Brittany senseless with their embrace. The sisters tumbled to the floor in their excitement. Brittany laughed with all the wind that wasn't knocked out of her.

"Oh, my goodness! Brittany!" Eleanor squeaked loudly. She had gotten to her first and was squeezing the death out of the pink clad Chipette, "That's brilliant! No wonder you're glowing! You're an adult now!"

"That's fantastic, Britt!" Jeanette exclaimed, happy for her sister and relieved that she wasn't the only one anymore, "I knew it was only a matter of weeks! Alvin will be such a good mate for you, I know it!"

"Aww thanks girls!" Brittany gushed. She gently shoved them off and got back on her feet, "I'm glad you approve. I was so nervous about your reaction."

"You shouldn't be. We're your sisters and we love you no matter what you do," Jeanette said. Eleanor nodded vigorously.

"Aw, I love you girls too." And they grouped together for a big hug.

_**In the late afternoon...**_

It turned out to be a big day for all of the Seville's. Alvin's confession to his brothers and Dave went just as smoothly as Brittany's. Dave, who already knew about it in the first place, clapped him on the back and boasted his congratulations. Theodore was overjoyed for his brother while Simon was shocked, but like Jeanette, felt a relief that he wasn't the only one anymore.

Uplifted by the union of two of their family members, everybody joined in with moving all of Brittany's things into Alvin's room. It would have taken only a quarter of the time with human help, but they got there eventually. The boys did all the heavy lifting and moving, while the girls were left to rearrange everything to fit Brittany's limitless amount of clothes and various other items.

Everybody chatted loudly and laughed at the littlest of things. They sang, hummed, whistled, teased Alvin, screamed at a spider hiding in a corner, sang some more, teased Alvin, argued over what colour the walls should be painted. They scrubbed Alvin's desk down and changed the bed so it had a more neutral colour until new bedspreads were bought.

Just when everyone thought the atmosphere couldn't get any lighter, it turned out that in the chaos of finishing the room, Simon had taken Jeanette aside and they agreed to tell the truth. This had a similar reaction to Alvin and Brittany's announcement.

"I can't believe you guys kept this a secret for so long!"Brittany cried out in shock.

"I know, but we were so scared that you guys would think that it happened too soon or something," replied Simon. He hated criticism above everything else in the world.

"We would've supported you all the way bro," admitted Alvin. Simon grinned awkwardly.

Dave had congratulated Simon and Jeanette, but he was still stewing on whether or not to tell them that he already knew. One side of him wanted to comply, but the other was telling him to keep it as an embarrassing story to tell after a few drinks on Simon's 18th birthday. He quite liked the thought of the latter idea and decided to save it.

Well, two couples in one day! According to chipmunk law, this caused for a celebration! By the end of the night, the Seville's were already planning for a night out the next weekend. But before that could happen, they were in for a very interesting week...

**A/N: Well, there you have it. This week, the bullying problem will be solved once and for all and school won't be included much in the chapters after that. A dark change is coming and Dave is the only one who can solve it.**

**This week's question: What colour should Alvin and Brittany paint their room? **


	18. Vengeance is Delicious

_**Chapter 18: Vengeance is Delicious**_

Two months had passed since Dave had become a chipmunk. A lot of things had transpired by then. The bullying problem had escalated, Alvin and Brittany had embraced mateship, Simon and Jeanette had come out with the truth and Toby and Julie had become their main allies. It was least to mention that Dave was having the time of his life being able to keep up with his fast paced kids. Things couldn't be better...right?

While Alvin was beginning to adjust to his new protective/possessive instincts for his mate, Brittany was planning the new colour scheme for their room. It was one of the many topics they discussed during bonding sessions, something that Simon and Jeanette could start doing as well. During the week, the bespectacled couple gradually moved Jeanette's things into Simon's room. Theodore and Eleanor were happy to stay the way they were for now, but Dave had a feeling Theodore was considering taking his brothers lead.

Speaking of Dave, the following Thursday was one he'd never forget. That morning after his shower, Dave stood in front of the mirror and stared. He just realised that he had been a chipmunk for a while now, but had never really taken a close look. Did he even look the slightest of his normal self? Besides, he was supposed to have Alvin's genes mixed in with his own thanks to the solution.

The chipmunk he saw in the mirror had the perfect mix between himself and Alvin. His eye ridges were slightly slimmer than what his human eyebrows had been, but had the same shape about them. His eyes were the same earthy brown, beady and oval shaped. The tuft of fur on his head had remained scruffy since the start and reminded him of the hairdo he had when he was in college. The more handsome features, including the sideways smirk and the light brown stripes running off his nose into his forehead were all Alvin. All in all, not a bad looker!

After drying off his fur, he bounded out of the bathroom and into his walk in closet where a small pile of clothes sat waiting for him. Dave slipped into a white t-shirt with a small logo on it, and then slid on a deep brown hoodie leaving the zipper undone.

Today was going to be intense and quite fun. Imagine the best moment of your life so far and multiply it by 100 and you'll get what Dave's talking about. It had only taken two days of preparation and a much unexpected recruit.

**Lunch on Tuesday...**

The chipmunks had been talking amongst each other about a group project in the cafeteria when their conversation was interrupted by none other than Marcus Marshall. He walked up to the table in a very cautious manner as if afraid there will be another pie attack, looking very sombre indeed. One by one, all seven became aware of his presence, Alvin and Simon moving in closer to their mates. Dave regarded him with a searching look as the human stood in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Dave gruffly.

Marcus sat down in front of them all, took a deep breath and said, "I just want to apologise for spilling punch on Simon and Jeanette. I realise now that it was both stupid and rude of me."

"Oh, really? And just who forced you to come and say this?" asked Simon angrily, not believing the jock for second, "Ms Ortega? Dr Ruben, perhaps?"

"Neither of them," answered Marcus simply," Just me and my guilty conscious is all. I'm not usually like that you know. I only did it because I was angry you got my girlfriend expelled and my best friends in hot water."

"Yeah well, Marni got exactly what she deserved," growled Alvin, remembering the pained look he never wanted to see on his mate's face again, "And Ryan and Xander have had what's coming to them since day one."

"I know," sighed Marcus. He rested his hands on the table, leaning forward, "I was in the same position that you are now when I first joined the football team. Ryan made my life a misery for a year before I made a perfect tackle during a game and saved the team from losing. I guess ever since then, I let the popularity get to my head. I've done a lot of things I'm starting to regret."

"But why the sudden change?" questioned Theodore.

Marcus shrugged, "It's been a work in progress since Ryan decided to stuff you in the football. I refused to do it. Messing with people is one thing, but animal cruelty is something completely different! My parents are both vets and I've seen abused animals many times before. That was the eye opener for me. I've had enough of it. I want out!"

The fierceness in his voice shocked the chipmunks to the core. It was weird to see a massive, muscular left tackle sound so passionate about something like animal cruelty. How odd!

"Then why did you still pour the punch over Simon and I?" piped up Jeanette.

"Oh, well, I have to admit that I had been a little drunk before I turned up to the Ball," Marcus admitted sheepishly, "I wasn't thinking straight and old habits are hard to break."

Dave sighed. He was glad that alcohol was severely toxic for any of his kids to drink. Waking up with a hangover is the worst feeling in the world and you never know what you did the night before. Dave had to admit that he was guilty of having a few Saturday nights of clubbing with Claire Wilson. One such experience saw him dancing stupidly on a table top while chugging down a beer and stripping. That was something he was going to take to the grave...

"Anyway," Marcus continued, "I have a proposition for you. I have a prank in mind that will humiliate Ryan and Xander so much; they'll be the laughing stock of the school until graduation!"

"And what exactly would that be?" asked Alvin, eyes narrowed. And why didn't he think of it first if it's so great?

"Trust me, this'll go down great!" chirped Marcus. Everybody leaned into an awkward huddle as the jock explained the whole thing.

_**And back to the present...**_

The sports had just finished up. It had been another hard session for everybody. Brittany had to work even harder now that she was co-captain as she worked with Daisy to find two new recruits to replace Duffy and Marni's places. The rest of the students were subjected to dodge ball. Unfortunately, Ryan was on the other team, but a good shot from Alvin took care of that problem. It came down to a one on one between Marcus and Xander. Xander won, but everybody else was too pooped to care.

Finally the bell rang to start lunch. Many of the guys decided they needed to take a decent shower before getting back to their girlfriends and luckily Ryan and Xander happened to be among them. As the bullies and Marcus headed off to the showers with a towel and some soap, the chipmunks shared huge grins. Everything was going perfectly from the start!

Anticipation building, Alvin, Simon, Theodore and Dave waited excitedly for the games to start. They sat on the benches in front of their lockers, ears flicking around in the direction of the showers, trying to detect some other noise than the sounds of rushing water and guys obnoxiously yelling at each other through the steam _**(Honestly, I have no idea of what goes on in a place like that. I'm a girl in case you didn't know, so forgive me if I'm mistaken.)**_

It was up to Marcus to begin the prank. In small groups or pairs, now clean guys started to emerge and leave for the cafeteria. Theodore was twitching with anxiousness. He didn't really like what he was about to do and see, but then he remembered every time Ryan ever called him a 'fatty ratty' and the guiltiness was gone in a flash.

Dave was actually pumped. This was going to be fun, he could tell. No wonder Alvin always got a kick out of it! The adrenaline was already running through his veins and he was more alert than ever. After 15 minutes, the last of the innocent students had cleared out and it was only Marcus and the victims.

"How much longer do you reckon it will be?" asked Theodore.

"Dunno," said Alvin, "That was the last of the other gu-"

Suddenly, the doors crashed open and Marcus came sprinting out with a pile of clothing and a few towels in his arms. The chipmunks had jumped in fright, their fur standing on end.

Marcus skidded to a halt in front of them, "Get ready! They've already noticed! Alvin, you're on!"

Meanwhile in separate shower cubicles, Ryan and Xander were panicking. They were stark naked and were staring rabidly around for anything they could wear while shouting empty threats into the smoggy air. "MARCUS, YOU F#%, GIVE OUR CLOTHES BACK BEFORE I COME OUT AND POUND YOU TO THE GROUND!"

"You really wouldn't do that, would you? Not looking like that!" chuckled a squeaky voice behind them. Alvin stood there with his paws behind his back. That smirk was on his face. His eyes glittered with mischief. His tail was flicking with relish. The Old Alvin was back for the ultimate cameo.

Ryan looked over his stall and gave the chipmunk the death glare, "You! What did you do with our clothes?"

"Can't tell you that Ry-dog, "Alvin snickered happily, "Where's the fun in that? That's for us to know and for you to find out..."

"TELL US WHERE OUR CLOTHES ARE!" roared Xander. That just made Alvin laugh even more.

"Temper-temper! An attitude like that isn't going to get you anywhere, you know," Alvin jeered. It was clear he loved every moment of this. It was Ryan's fault that Marni went after Brittany. He was doing this for his mate, not for self satisfaction. They were going to pay for every moment of her misery, every moment of her pain. Yep, this was a moment to be savoured.

"But, unlike you, we do have a bit of mercy," Alvin continued, "So we want to give you this as a present. Use it well!" Out from behind his back, came a single black sock. Alvin tossed it into the wet floor. There was a moment of silence as all three considered the 'present' in front of them.

Then a scream came bursting from Ryan like a volcano, "AAALLLVVVIIINNN!"

Alvin knew this was his cue to bail. He turned on heel and bolted on four paws back out of the showers. Two stall doors opened behind him as the humans slipped and slid in their bare feet after him.

"Gangway!" Alvin screeched to his brothers and Dave. Simon and Theodore tore behind him, but Dave stayed behind. It was his objective to lead the jocks into the trap. After all, he was the fastest and most agile out of the boys.

To his delight and disgust, the victims came bursting out through the doors, baring more than Dave wanted to see. But, he grinned and bared it as he spun around to face them, "Hey fellas! Isn't it a little too breezy to be walking around like that?"

"ROSS!"

Nostrils blaring like a couple of angry bulls, the jocks screamed out strangulated battle cries and charged. Dave shot like Usian Bolt and streamlined out into the gymnasium, the jocks following close behind. Xander dived for the black bullet, but Dave shot under the bleachers, making the jock smack head first into the bottom row and blacked out.

One moron down and one to go.

Ryan ignored his fallen comrade and ran alongside the bleachers until Dave had no choice but to abandon his cover. He skidded through the gymnasium doors and tore down the hallway, the sound of Ryan's heavy thudding on the floor echoing close behind him. Dave led the way towards the intended destination, shouting out random insults to enrage the jock further.

"Oi Ryan! How does it feel to be _that _small even when it's not cold?"

"Hurry up, would you? I'm barely breaking a sweat here!"

"Hey Ryan, what do you call a quarterback with half a brain? GIFTED!"

"Ha! Missed moron! How does it feel Ryan? How does it feel?"

"I'm going to kill you!" bellowed Ryan as they turned down the last hallway. Dave was running out of breath. Marcus was standing in front of the double doors, waiting for the big finale.

"Open them now!" Dave yelled in a sudden panic. Marcus did as ordered and Dave leaped gracefully through the doorway and touched base on the table where the rest of the Seville's stood.

Ryan skidded to a halt as he realised where he had been led to. Every face was turned in his direction. Some showed shock, some showed disgust and looked like they wanted to vomit up their lunch. There was a chilled silence. Ryan came back to his senses and covered his groin with hands, his face as red as red could go. They were in the cafeteria.

A minute passed.

Then two.

Then three and four.

After five minutes the entire school came back to its senses and the mocking commenced. Wolf whistles and cat calls came flying from every direction. Some girls screamed in horror and a few of the more modest ones fainted. Just about every boy in the school was shouting insults or applauding for one reason or another. A few of the closet gays were trying not to blush.

The chipmunks, Chipettes and Marcus victory danced and high fived each other repeatedly. It worked! And everybody was there to witness it! Everybody!

But unfortunately, that included Dr Ruben...

_**5 minutes later...**_

"Totally worth it!" cheered Marcus as they sat in the Principals Office.

_**A/N: Aw snap! What's gonna happen now? **_


	19. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note: Before you start reading, Spring-Heel-Jacq has come to me, a little concerned about the lack of interest in the Titanic story she has been writing. She could really use your help by voting on the polls she has set up for which generation of Dave should play Jack Dawson. Remember the title is **_**The Chipmunks Go To The Movies: Titanic. **_

**Chapter19: The Calm before the Storm**

Two months.

Suspended from school two freakin' months.

Dr Ruben had exploded like a volcano and her lava river of words had burned and came down on them hard. Marcus came clean and admitted that he was the one who came up with the idea, but the Seville's were not let off easy. As quickly as it had started, Dave would never again set foot in the school until that foot was that of a human's. And for once in his life, Dave didn't regret a single thing of what he had done. This would be one of his life's highlights.

The next day was spent celebrating their success. They had a big picnic in the backyard and brought out several djembes, congas and other instruments to jam along and sing together, like a mini music festival. Alvin even bought out his golden harmonica; the one Dave had given him during a talk one night after Alvin had a nightmare. It was a beautiful little thing too and had a very sweet sound on chipmunk ears. They took turns in dancing with their mates or girlfriend while Dave played melody's he had learned while playing his own silver harmonica.

The food was absolutely scrumptious. Dave couldn't remember the last time he had eaten meat, but he didn't miss it when there were plenty of fruit, vegetable and nut based dishes to feast on. The garden salad and the sundae's were the best part. Dave chuckled at the ice cream moustaches over the kid's top lip and chortled when he realised he had one too.

As the afternoon kicked in, the sun sneaked past the clouds, bringing in a warm change. Jeanette cheered Simon on as he and Dave sparred in the middle of the picnic blanket, the sugar rush still buzzing away at the back of their minds. Theodore and Eleanor had disappeared into the paddock for some alone time, Theodore planning to start courting his counterpart properly.

Underneath the oak tree where Dave had taken his first climb, Alvin and Brittany were laying together at the roots. Brittany curled into her mate's warm and comfortable body while Alvin held on securely to her waist, their legs and tails entangled. Their calm breathing rippled each other's fur as they snoozed the afternoon away in the shade together.

While everyone is occupied in their own activities, I'll tell you a little bit about Bonding. Bonding is the easiest stage of a mateship and quite a fun part too. It doesn't matter what a couple do for it, as long as they are enjoying each other's company and show plenty of affection, it's done and dusted. For Simon and Jeanette, Bonding concerned the most intimate of affection you can show your partner. For Alvin and Brittany, it's all about being cuddly and taking care of each other's needs. The Bonding is completed once the female goes into heat for the first time. After that, they have to be careful not to bring any pups into the world until they're good and ready.

Anyway, there was still the matter of celebrating the coming together of two couples. Like a wedding day, it was all about the girls. Brittany wanted to go nightclubbing while Jeanette wanted to go and see Mamma Mia: The Musical. There was no convincing Dave though for either. For one, he absolutely forbids clubbing since they were only 15 and as for the Musical, he didn't think it was wise to use up the money they had. They hadn't done a proper concert since the Music Awards and the other accounts were unusable until Dave turned back into a human.

In the end, they decided to have an intimate dinner with Toby and Claire at a popular restaurant called _Tony's and Belle's_. All the A-List celebrities went there. Being one of the most famous music groups in the world, Simon managed to gain a reservation at the last minute.

_**That night...**_

The restaurant was extremely classy: imagine you are dining on the Titanic before it hit the ice berg. The high ceiling and walls were a chalky red and covered in photos and posters of all the celebrities who had dined there for a special occasion. Massive diamond chandeliers hung off the roof in a circular pattern. Tonight's diners were dressed as if they were attending the Oscars, feeding on ridiculously small meals for an even more ridiculous price.

In a corner booth sat the biggest names of the night. The table was covered with an elaborate purple table cloth and the usual candle and rose. Brittany was wearing a pink and gold chiffon dress with her shining hair in a braid, Jeanette was in a matching dress in purple and gold with her hair in her usual messy bun. Eleanor was wearing the same dress she had worn for the Ball, yet it had been nicely rearranged in a different style using her sewing skills.

The Chipmunks wore black leather jackets over customized dress shirts. Dave decided to go for his old look and had a plaid brown shirt with a casual deep brown jacket. The seven chipmunks all chatted happily as they waited for Toby and Julie to come back from ordering the meals.

"This is such a great night," Brittany remarked. She leaned back into Alvin's warm embrace. "I can't believe I'm finally celebrating my Mateship. Even better, I get to share it with my little sister."

"Aw, that's sweet Britt," said Jeanette. She was smiling from ear to ear and her violet eyes glittered.

"I still can't believe how easily Toby and Julie took all of this in. First with Dave's transformation and now this; they have really understood about it all haven't they?" Simon asked. He also was holding on to his mate as if she were made of glass.

"We should do something nice for their wedding!" piped up Theodore. He and Eleanor were chewing slowly on the breadsticks, knowing that their own meals would take over an hour to cook and were already hungry to begin with.

"That's a good idea Theo, but what? You guys are already the after party's entertainment and the rest of the details are already filled in. There's not much we can do," replied Dave. He rested his chin on a paw using a thinking gesture, his eyes glazing over as he thought.

The engaged couple soon returned and took their seats. Toby was looking sharp in a navy blue suit with a white shirt and black tie. His fiancée was sporting a gorgeous slim black dress that complimented every curve and wore red high heels. Toby looked well groomed for once and Julie was wearing elaborate silver earrings you'd never see her wear in a classroom.

"Man, the staffs here is rude!" Toby huffed, shifting his seat until he was comfortable again, "You'd think that they would give the customers that are paying over $200 a little more consideration wouldn't you?"

Dave chuckled, "Welcome to Hollywood life Toby. Everyone treats the chipmunks like god and goddesses, but as soon as I turn up, suddenly they have gone deaf and blind simultaneously!"

It's true. Dave was well known and respected in the music industry, but in general, nobody really cared about him and only had eyes for his charges. After Dave had adopted the Chipmunks, he had been invited to make an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Unfortunately, he was quickly replaced by comedian David Cross.

"I can't believe I'm even here!" Julie exclaimed, her face showing every inch of her excitement, "This place is so high classed. And I saw Hugh Jackman sitting over at the bar! It was only the back of his head, but I know it's him."

"Wait, did you say _Hugh Jackman_?" asked Alvin in amazement, not quite believing his favourite actor was in the very same place as him.

Julie nodded, "The very same!"

In a flash, Alvin and Brittany were off the table and out of sight. There was no way they were missing a chance to meet with the Aussie actor and hopefully have a bit of a chat. The rest of the group chuckled and continued to chat over the babbling of the rest of the restaurant. Their waiter appeared and dropped off their drinks, informing them that the food should arrive soon momentarily.

"_Momentarily_, my ass!" cursed Toby under his breath, earning a glare and a small slap from Julie.

"So how's going living with each other?" Julie asked curiously peering down at the bespectacled couple. "Has it been easy to adjust to?"

"It's been wonderful," commented Simon, earning a smile from his counterpart, "I don't think we've ever felt closer, have we Jean?"

"No, we haven't," grinned Jeanette, "It wasn't too hard because we've been living in the same house the whole time. Waking up next to Si every morning really is the best feeling."

Julie did her best not to cringe at that comment. Fifteen year olds living together and sleeping together just didn't seem natural to her. It was hard to think of the Seville's as chipmunks when they were so humanised. As a teacher, Julie was always concerned for her student's welfare and over the years, she had seen and dealt with some pretty bad cases of teenage romance. But these relationships seemed different. They were mature and nicely balanced.

It wasn't long before Alvin and Brittany returned, looking quite pleased with themselves.

"So, how did it go?" asked Simon, "Did you control yourself or did you drool all over Hugh's fingers?"

Alvin shrugged and turned to the teacher, "It wasn't Hugh Jackman you saw, Jules. Completely different person, but you got the actor part right."

"Oh, then who was it?" asked Julie stunned at her misconception.

"Jason Lee."

"Seriously?" asked Dave. He looked up at his soon to be cousin-in-law in disbelief, "How could you mistake Jason Lee for Hugh Jackman? They don't have anything in common!"

_**(A/N: LOL, there's actually a really funny story that inspired this. If you'd like to hear it, review or send me a P.M.)**_

"I guess I made a mistake out of my excitement," replied Julie, shrugging her shoulders. She turned back to Alvin, "So how did meeting him go then?"

"Actually, Jason was really nice," said Brittany, "It turns out he's just as much a fan of our music as we are of his movies. He was just waiting for his wife and kids to turn up. We chatted for a little while, had a bit of a laugh and are going to become friends on Facebook."

"Didn't he name his son 'Pilot' or something?" asked Theodore. Eleanor giggled.

"That's not as bad as calling a kid 'Apple'," Alvin retorted, "Pilot is an awesome name for a celebrities kid."

"I hope you're not planning on giving any unusual names to our kids, Al," Brittany said with a warning tone.

Alvin chortled and kissed her nose, "You'll just have to wait and see won't you?"

Half an hour later, dinner arrived and they all settled down to eat. There was a mix of Italian and French scents wafting from the nine plates, one in particular threatening to burn the fur off around Dave's nose. There was a brief argument when Jason Lee was brought up again in the conversation. Dave wasn't impressed with Toby's remark about Dave having a vast resemblance to the actor when he was human.

"For the last time, I look _nothing _like Jason Lee! People have been saying it for years and I still don't see it!" Dave exclaimed angrily.

Alvin laughed heartily, clutching his stomach. Dave snapped at him.

"Oh, clam it! Would you like it if I told you that you look just like Melvin the Squirrel? DIDN'T THINK SO!"

That shut Alvin right up.

As the night wore on, Toby was getting more and tipsier with each glass of champagne. Julie was the designated driver and was happy to sip on lemonade. The chipmunks all stuck to water seeing as anything that fizzes would cause a massacre that would put Fred and George Weasley from _Harry Potter _to shame.

At 9:30, one of the waiters in a white tuxedo walked up some steps onto a stage. The stage was only two metres away from the Seville's booth. He stood in front of a microphone and tapped it gingerly, the static blowing from the amplifiers. Everybody in the vicinity stopped what they were doing and looked over at him immediately. A few of them looked annoyed that their conversation had been interrupted.

The waiter looked sheepish as he announced, "I'm sorry to inform you all that tonight's entertainment has been cancelled due to a medical issue."

The diners all groaned in annoyance.

"Just great," Sighed Theodore heavily, "I'd been looking forward to that."

_**Authors Note: Okay, I'll admit that was pretty boring, but the next chapter will be worth the wait. It's the start of the Second Act and Dave will meet his chipmunk counterpart and his true love.**_

_**But is that the same person?**_


	20. And So It Begins: Completed

_**This is just a redo of the chapter with the next bit added on. It's just a better format for me to continue from a story telling point to view.**_

_**Chapter 20: **_**And So It Begins: Rewritten**

Sunday night was eerie and cold as the quarter moon shone with an unnatural light. The stars seemed too dim and dark compared to other nights. The grass in the paddock rippled and swayed restlessly in the direction of the forest edge as a dark figure stalked through their whistling blades. The figure was crouched down low on all fours as he padded forward, every step taken slowly and quietly, nose to the ground. He could smell the scent of something foreign in his territory. It was dirty and mouldy and defiantly masculine. Immediately, his instincts went into overdrive and one word came into mind.

_Rogue..._

With a soft growl, he continued on a little faster at a trot, the scent gradually getting stronger. He made his way swiftly to the edge of the paddock where the met the fence. He stopped to sniff at one of the wooden posts and his tail gave a twitch when he realised how strong the scent had become. He backed up a few steps and easily sailed over the barbed wire of the fence. Landing on his feet, he trotted on into the darkness of the large forest canvas.

SNAP! Dave cringed in surprise and spun around to find not one, but four figures standing behind him, the smallest of which had just stepped on a twig. He rolled his eyes and gave them the signal to follow quietly. They nodded to show they understood and walked to him.

"Can you smell that?" Dave whispered to the eldest of his sons.

Alvin nodded and wrinkled up his nose, "I know right? It smells like one of your socks if you had coated it in rotten eggs, stuffed it in an old boot and left it for a month under a chicken coop."

Simon looked disgusted, "Gee, thanks for that unnecessary description."

Alvin poked his tongue at Simon before saying, "I could smell it just before we went to bed, but didn't think much of it until I saw you sneak through the backyard, Dave. What do you think it is?"

"More like _who, _"Dave replied, not taking his eyes off the direction the scent was coming from, "I don't know who it is, but I know it's a male. No Chipette could ever smell that bad unless they lived and bathed in a swamp."

"Thank god for that," Brittany commented shortly. She and Jeanette looked quite relaxed compared to the boys, seeing as their noses weren't adapted to smelling out anything else but their mates and their family members.

"Didn't I ask you to stay in the house?" Alvin asked, looking at his counterpart wearily, "I keep telling you that there is no need for you or Jeanette to be out here. This is for us males to sort out. Besides, your fur isn't thick enough to be out here in the cold."

"And what? Miss out on an adventure? No way," Brittany said stubbornly, sidling up to her mate and nuzzling him mockingly, "Anyway, you're not supposed to be here either! Rogue males are supposed to be dealt with by the dominant male only, which Dave has proven himself to be by far."

"It can't hurt to give him a little help, Brittany," Jeanette butted in. The two brothers nodded in agreement.

"I wonder why Theodore didn't-?"

"_Quiet_!" Dave hushed. They all stared at the older chipmunk, a little stunned by the harsh concentration on his face. He was still sniffing heavily at the air, his ears slowly revolving back and forward, twitching at the slightest odd noise. He dropped on to all fours once again, the others following suit. Finally, it all snapped together and he bolted into the blanket of darkness before them.

"Dave, wait up!" called Simon and they shot in after him.

Dave bounded across the forest floor, occasionally leaping over tree roots and twigs to make at as little noise as he could. He could hear the others behind him. You'd think that sprinting through the forest at night would be dangerous and stupid, but Dave was actually seeing quite well. The moonlight shone through the thick branches above. The scent was even more revolting than before as it got even stronger. He ran for about ten minutes before coming to a clearing where he could see a shadowy figure. Dave halted and crept into the cover of a shrub on the edge.

Behind him, Alvin saw Dave stop and did the same, making sure the other three did too. Dutifully, he nudged Simon and pointed to another shrub. They silently agreed and the four laid in wait, deciding to let Dave have a chance to act like a proper alpha male and go it alone.

Dave stared hard at the unknown male in front of him, studying the body language. The male sniffed at the air, probably catching Dave's scent. Dave heard him growl and he smiled. '_Come on, take the bait,' _Dave thought snidely. He prowled ever closer to the male, settling himself into a pouncing position.

The other male was now trying to detect any sign of Dave, who was well hidden by his black fur in the darkness. He found the direction of Dave's scent and immediately moved forward to investigate. Dave bared his teeth, his hackles rising to make himself look more vicious, his claws unsheathing maliciously. Two more steps... Once the male got close enough, Dave growled loudly and pounced, tackling the rogue in the stomach.

The rogue let out a yelp of shock as he found himself being shoved on the ground by the larger black furred male. He looked up to see a pair of deep brown eyes boring down into his own. There was a moment of silence before he got a grip and growled menacingly and pushed Dave off. Dave stumbled back on his hind legs, and was greeted with a russet fist that smacked him in the face.

With a cry of pain, it was Dave's turn to fall to the ground. As the rogue ran forward and clenched his fist for a second time, Dave allowed the fighting instincts that he had developed while sparring to take over. The rogue swung his fist at Dave's face again, but this time Dave caught the chipmunks arm, rolled, jumped up, pulled him into a combative embrace and kicked him in the stomach with more force than he was used to.

"Damn!" exclaimed Alvin. He and Simon exchanged awed glances before looking back at the scene in front of them.

The rogue fell on his knees wheezing. Dave had managed to knock the wind out of him. Before he could recover, Dave grabbed the scruff of the chipmunk's neck and pulled him back on his feet, dragging him to the nearest tree. There were a few moments of struggling before Dave slammed him against the tree trunk, leaning in menacingly so that they were almost nose to nose.

"Let me go!" roared the rogue in a voice not too deeper than Simon's, "I demand you let me go, you filthy bastard! Get off my turf!"

"_Your _turf_?_" Dave snarled, continuing to pin the male against the rough bark, "That human domain across the field and these woods surrounding it are in _my_ territory. So explain yourself or _get out_! Who are you?"

"My names Aaron, okay?" the rogue huffed, "I've only been here for a week and I didn't realise this was your land. Why did you have to be so rough, huh?"

"I just happen to be raising six kids. The last thing I need is someone coming along and harming them," Dave snapped, "Now. Why are you here?"

Aaron sighed heavily, "I've been trying to gain a new territory for my mate and I since our home burnt down."

Dave relaxed his grip on the chipmunk called Aaron and let him go. Aaron dropped onto his feet and manoeuvred around him so he was no longer backed against anything. Dave turned to face him, no longer snarling, but was nonetheless looking at him with the upmost disdain. "Where is your mate then?" he asked, wondering who could ever be attracted by a disgusting scent like that.

Aaron immediately responded, obviously thinking the black chipmunk would attack if he did otherwise, "Vinny! Come out sweetie!"

Back behind the shrub, Alvin, Simon, Brittany and Jeanette were relieved that Dave had won so quickly. This Aaron guy seemed off to them as well. Alvin studied the rogue hard, trying to take as much in of him as he could in the darkness. Something seemed familiar about his eyes and he was sure that he had heard that voice somewhere before.

"I swear I know him," Alvin whispered urgently to his mate. Brittany glanced at him in curiosity.

"So do I," Simon agreed, "That voice...there's something about it..."

Back with Dave, he watched on as Aaron called his mate to his side. From the other side of the clearing came a timid little Chipette from the shadows. She was shaking with fright after watching her partner get beaten and shivered when she made eye contact with Dave. He immediately softened at the sight of the vulnerable looking Chipette. She wasn't exactly small, but she was barely taller than Theodore and even in the dark he could tell she hadn't slept in days. Pity filled his eyes.

"This is Vinny, my mate of 15 years," Aaron announced proudly. Vinny smiled shyly and waved, "And as I've already said, my name is Aaron."

Now feeling slightly guilty, Dave stepped forward and shook Aarons paw, "I'm David, but everyone calls me Dave. Please excuse my rashness earlier, but I just can't take any chances when it comes to my kids."

"How many do you have?" asked Aaron.

"Six," replied Dave, politely gesturing them to follow him, "They're not actually my own, but I treat them as if they are. I love them, so it doesn't make any difference to me. Now, please follow me to the house. You two look exhausted and it would be foolish of me to leave you in the cold."

And so they did. Dave led them out of the clearing and back into the forest, meeting up with four confused chipmunks on the way. They all trudged their way through the paddock and into the paddock in silence, Alvin and Simon desperately trying to get a better look at Aaron. Finally, they pushed through the cat flap and onto the polished tiled floor of the kitchen.

Aaron and Vinny's eyes travelled around the house in awe, perhaps because they had never been in a human made house before. When they reached the living room everybody jumped up onto the coach and the Seville's got to have a proper look at the strange couple for the first time. Dave studied them in general curiosity, but the brothers jaws dropped in both surprise and horror.

Simon jumped back onto his feet, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe it. Alvin joined him. How could this be? After all this time and after everything they had been through, why did these two have to come back into their lives? It was unthinkable, inexpressible. It was like the world had come crashing down on them all at once.

"Mum? Dad?" Alvin asked in shock, causing the Chipettes to gasp. Dave turned once more to the couple and immediately saw it.

Aaron had the same golden eyes and rough russet fur as Alvin. He was about the same height too, but a tad taller. Unlike any of the Chipmunks, he had a thick black stripe that ran from his nose to down along his back. A tuft of fur on his head looked like a crew cut and was flecked with gray. His face was flat; his sunken cheeks made him look as if he had never smiled once in his life. Aaron had broad shoulders to support his well built frame and Dave was surprised that he had even managed to take on a chipmunk that muscular. All he needed was a few tattoos and a cigarette in his mouth and he could've been a regular thug.

You could not have found a more opposite couple. While Aaron was a chipmunk tank, Vinny looked as if she belonged in a fairytale book. Her fur was a soft strawberry blonde and the fur on top of her head was pulled back in a neat bun. She was awfully skinny for a Chipette, yet at the same time had a pleasantly curvy figure. She had puffy cheeks, a tiny pink nose and the most unusual eyes Dave had ever seen. One was green like Theodore's and the other was Simon's ocean blue.

As Alvin asked the inevitable question, her eyes lit up and gave the most mesmerising smile. She was well...beautiful.

"Simon? Alvin?" asked Vinny in disbelief, "My babies?"

"Well, not exactly babies, but yeah, it's us," Simon answered meekly, forcing a grin. Aaron looked both shocked and a little apprehensive.

"Oh my god! It's really you!" Vinny exclaimed, hurrying forward and almost jumping into Simon's awaiting arms. She almost squeezed him to death before turning to her eldest son, "Look how much you have grown! The last time I saw you; you could barely talk let alone walk!"

"Well slap my tail and call me a swamp!" exclaimed Aaron, clapping his paws together enthusiastically, "What a coincidence this is! How wonderful it is to see my sons again!"

This was a weird moment for Dave as he watched the biological father of The Chipmunks race forward to greet his sons. Even weirder though was when Aaron pushed straight past Simon and pulled Alvin into a giant bear hug, leaving Simon looking quite rejected. The blue-clad rolled his eyes and had to jump back as Aaron suddenly hoisted Alvin over his shoulder, turned 180 degrees before dropping him again. As Aaron embraced him again, Dave could've sworn he saw Alvin with an evil expression on his face.

"D-Da-Aaron! Choking-not-breathing!" Alvin gasped helplessly, his legs threatening to collapse under Aaron's weight.

"Woops, sorry Alvin," chuckled Aaron.

He let go of the gasping chipmunk. Brittany jumped up and hurried over to her mate, who was clutching his throat. Aaron jumped as of only realising that the Chipettes were in the room. He looked Brittany up and down as if he was an x-ray machine and put on a smirk that was similar to Alvin's, except seedy.

"Well, well, well, just who do we have here?" Aaron asked slyly, taking couple of steps forward. He took Brittany's paw into his and kissed it tenderly. Brittany giggled as Aaron placed his other paw on her cheek, "Are these two lovely ladies your daughters David? Your mate must be quite beautiful if so."

Alvin immediately stepped forward and pulled Brittany away into his arms, "Dad-" Alvin seemed to have to spit the word out, "This is Brittany and Jeanette Miller," as he introduced each Chipette, he pointed them out, "They have a sister called Eleanor who is being courted by Theodore. Jeanette is Simon's mate and Brittany is mine."

"Oh how wonderful!" Vinny exclaimed, "You've done well to claim such beautiful girls. Now, just where is little Theodore?"

"Fast asleep," answered Simon. Dave was surprised that Simon seemed to be hiding the bitter tone he always took on whenever Alvin had a crazy plan, "It's been a bit of a long day for him and Ellie, so it'd be best to just wait until morning."

"Oh, of course, of course, we wouldn't dream of disturbing him and his future mate," Aaron stated.

'Oh, bull crap! You never cared about him in the first place you jackass!' Thought Simon snidely, 'What are you doing here? Why didn't Mum take my advice before they left us and ditched him while she had the chance? He better not still be hurting her...'

**You know the drill: review, rave and rant to your hearts bloody content!**


	21. Terrible Aaron and Good Timed Stanley

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dave, The Chipmunks, The Chipettes, Stanley the Eagle or Vinny.**

**Chapter 21: Terrible Aaron and Good Timed Stanley**

This was not good.

The next morning, Theodore and Eleanor were surprised by the unexpected arrivals who embraced them as they entered the kitchen. Theodore's heart stopped in horror at the sight of his biological father. Aaron had been horrible to him as a baby and the green clad still remembered the sound of his mother shrieking as she was beaten.

Aaron was as horrible as a chipmunk could go. He's mean, cruel, malicious, conniving, sexist, abusive and very, very clever. You don't cross with Aaron because he will cut you down quicker than a chainsaw. Many chipmunks have made that very mistake and many of them didn't survive to warn others of his strength and nastiness.

Fortunately for the Chipmunks, they had managed to get away from Aaron before he trained them to be just like him. Instead, they had been raised to be respectable and kind young men by Dave. Vinny wasn't so lucky and had suffered for 15 years of her unfortunate mateship. Aaron was determined to do everything he can to make her life a misery.

After breakfast, the three brothers were quick to have a meeting away from the others in Alvin and Brittany's room. They had to take immediate action. There was no way that the Chipettes were going to be in danger of that bastard. The Chipmunks hopped on the bed and formed a small huddle. All three wore very worried expressions.

"I can't believe this is actually happening!" Theodore exclaimed. Fear was spreading throughout his body as he spoke.

"What are we going to do?" Alvin yelped in panic, "I thought we were clear of that bastard when he abandoned us! There is no way that I'm letting him be around Brittany."

"And he is not getting anywhere near my Jeanie either," Simon added urgently, "We need to do something and fast."

"But what?" asked Theodore timidly, "None of us can take him down without getting seriously hurt!"

"I know. Dave could barely contain him last night," agreed Simon. He straightened up his glasses as he thought for a moment of two. "What we need," he started slowly," Is to slowly drive Aaron away with baby steps. And possibly get Mum away from him too. We can't be too abrupt about it or otherwise he'll catch on. We'd be in serious trouble if he did!"

"You're right Simon. But Aaron is as smart as he is strong, so we need to be very tactical about it," agreed Alvin, "The first step is obviously to warn Dave and the girls."

"We need to protect Ellie too," chimed in Theodore.

"Yes, as the only Chipette who hasn't been mated with yet, she is a main priority," said Simon. He turned to Theodore and gave him a firm look, "Theo, I know that you don't want to rush into anything, but if there was ever the perfect time to claim your girlfriend, now would be it. In the mean time, act as if she is your mate. If Aaron knew she was a virgin, he would definitely go after her."

"And the second step would be to-"

"What are you doing in here, fellas? Your parents are looking for you," Dave's head came poking around the door, making the three brothers jump in surprise.

"Oh Dave! Good timing! We really need to discuss something with you," Theodore said urgently. Concerned about the tone in Simon's voice, Dave walked into the room and closed the door firmly behind him. He hopped on to the bed and approached his boys.

Immediately, Dave shivered when he sensed the frightened vibes omitting from the Chipmunks. Confused, he asked, "What's going on?"

"We need to get rid of Aaron!" the boys said in union.

"But why?" asked Dave, "I thought you'd be excited to see your biological father again."

"We would if he wasn't such a jerk!" Alvin growled, his ears arching. He folded his arms and snarled, "Dave, Aaron can't be trusted for anything in the world. For the sake of the Chipettes, we can't let him stay here. "

"Why not though?" asked Dave curiously, "What's so bad about him?"

Hmm, oh well let's see...how about...EVERYTHING!" Simon cried, waving his arms around dramatically, "There's not one nice thing about his personality. When we were babies, he used to treat Theodore and I like we were garbage! He hated us, but in his eyes, Alvin could never do any wrong. I was born with perfectly good eyesight, but when I started to talk before Alvin, Aaron dragged me out to the river and kept rubbing dirty water and mud in my eyes until my vision became completely impaired."

"Theodore didn't just fall out of the tree at birth: Aaron threw him out," Alvin added sourly, "His excuse was that he only wanted two kids. When Mum retrieved Theo, Aaron went berserk and slashed across her eye."

"We don't know why Aaron is what he is," Finished Theodore, "But what we do know is that if we don't do something, Aaron will try and hurt the Chipettes."

It took a while for all of this to process itself in Dave's mind. He just stood there facing the boys with a completely blank look on the face. That didn't seem right to him. He was just talking to Aaron and he seemed like a very respectable person. But then again, those muscles and that horrible stench couldn't mean anything good, "Are you completely sure about this? You were very young at the time."

"How could we not be sure of the memory of Mum on the ground clutching her bleeding face?" asked Alvin quietly. There was silence as that comment chilled everyone to their core.

_**AATCAATCAATCAATC**_

A few minutes later, the chipmunks all wandered into the living room. The Chipettes seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation with Vinny and Aaron. They were laughing about something amusing as they boys jumped up on the couch. Brittany and Jeanette beamed at their mates. Simon sat down to have Jeanette lean into him and Brittany happily snuggled into Alvin for warmth. Theodore shyly cuddled up to Eleanor and Dave sat by himself next to them.

Still not entirely sure of the Chipmunks story, Dave took a couple of moments to gaze over in Vinny's direction. She was quietly sitting a few feet away from her mate, staring down at her paws. When put into contrast to Simon and Jeanette who were practically melded together, this didn't seem like normal mateship behaviour.

Vinny seemed to have sensed someone watching her and looked up to meet Dave's gaze. He gave her a warm smile, which she timidly returned before staring down at her paws again. Just before her strawberry blond bangs fell back over her glistening eyes, Dave caught sight of a large scar over her left eye that was badly hidden. '_Well, that confirms what Alvin said.'_

"Well there you are! We'd wondered where you had snuck off to!" exclaimed Aaron, giving a grin that looked unnatural on that rough and creased old face of his, "The Chipettes here were just telling us that you lot are all singers."

'_Exactly what you never wanted us to be, _'Alvin thought snidely, but kept the happy expression on his face, "Oh yes. We've performed all around the world. Dave writes most of our songs and taught us everything we know."

"Oh really?" said Aaron in mock interest. He looked over to Dave with what he obviously thought was a appreciative smile, "Well, isn't that nice of him. Just how long have you been living with our boys David?"

"About five years," answered Dave shortly. He was carefully observing Aaron's body language to see if there was any sign of something else that could validate the Chipmunks claims. So far, there wasn't anything to confirm it. "I'm quite happy to say that your sons are very talented and I've loved every moment of raising them. You have a lot to be proud of."

Aaron was about to agree with Dave when suddenly the sound of an eagle screeching caused all nine chipmunks to turn and look out the window. Perched on the windowsill was a gorgeous Bald Eagle staring in at them with his sharp eyes. His feathers were the deepest of forest brown and the purest of white. His talons were sharp and lethal. Theodore jumped up, terrified and hid behind Simon, "E-Eagle!"

"Way to state the obvious, bro," said Alvin. He let go of his mate and leapt over to the window to take a closer look at the unexpected guest. The eagle considered the chipmunk for a moment, twisting his head from side to side in an elegant manner. Alvin considered him too, confused, until he spotted a small green tag around the eagles leg. He had seen that somewhere before...Suddenly, it hit him.

"Hey! I know who this is!" Alvin called out excitedly. He looked over his shoulder at his brothers with a wide grin, "It's Stanley! We taught him how to fly, remember? Hey, buddy! How are you?"

"Oh yeah!" Simon and Theodore cried out in unison. Theodore came out from behind Simon and stopped shaking. Stanley gave a small chirp in response to the greeting and gently tapped on the window to indicate he wanted to come in.

Dave, recognising the bird too, didn't seem so pleased to see him. "I ended up in jail because of that stupid bird," he mumbled to himself.

A few months after Dave had adopted the Chipmunks, the boys decided to build a bird house after Dave had kicked them out for distracting him when he was trying to finish up a song. Stanley just happened to be the first bird to try it out. When they learned that Stanley was afraid of flying, the Chipmunks decided to do everything they could to help him get over his fear. One tactic was strapping rollerblades to his feet and rolling him down a hill!

_**(If you haven't seen the episode of the Alvin Show when they teach Stanley how to fly, then get your sorry ass onto Youtube and watch it!)**_

Alvin unlatched the lock on the window and pulled it open.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" yelled Aaron. Vinny squeaked and tried to hide behind him, "You can't let an eagle into the house! It'll have us for dinner!"

"Oh relax. Stanley wouldn't harm a single hair on any of us," reassured Brittany. Stanley had a strange habit of turning up at the most conventional times _**(such as when an author with a massive writers block needs a scapegoat). **_The Chipettes met Stanley a few months after they moved in. He saved Jeanette's life during a game of Hide and Seek when she accidently slipped out of the tree she was hiding in by catching her with his talons.

By the time Aaron had finished complaining, Stanley had already swooped in and perched himself on a lampshade. Aaron seemed to just notice Vinny squirming behind his back and grumpily shoved her back to her spot away from him, earning an unnoticed disapproving glare from Dave.

"Hi Stanley!" chirped Eleanor.

"Hello Stanley, it's good to see you again," Simon greeted warmly. Stanley sang a soft note in return.

"Simon, why don't you and Theodore get Stan some water? He's probably had a long trip," requested Dave.

Simon nodded. There was a gentle flutter of wings as the two brothers and their feathered friend hurried off to the kitchen. Once out of earshot of Aaron, Simon looked up at Stanley with a small smile and said, "Stanley, old pal, as usual, you could not have come at a more appropriate time."

**Author's Note: Confused? Bewildered? Thinking this is a little abrupt? Well, so do I!**

**At this point, I really just want to get this story over and done with, but I'm still lacking ideas. I have snippets already typed up, but I can't work out a way to keep this evenly paced or how to fill in the gaps. **

**I'm asking you again that if you have an idea to please REVIEW IT! I don't care how ridiculous it is because it's usually those kinds of ideas that inspire me more than the rational and logical ones.**


	22. An Exciting Notice!

_**An Exciting Notice!**_

**I am quite ecstatic to announce that actor Jason Lee (Dave Seville) has just become a father of a new little boy named Sonny! He was born on June 16****th**** at 2.57am and weighed in at 7 pounds and 16 ounces.**

**I think I speak on behalf of just about everyone in the Chipmunk fandom when I wish Jason and his wife the very best and congratulate them on having their own little trio of kids to raise.**


	23. Affections, Thoughts and Dreams

**Author's Note: Just to let you know, from now on Dave's scenes will be written from his point of view. It'll be easier for me to write for him in the long run and you'll get more of idea of how I've always thought of him. **

**Chapter 22: Affections, Thoughts and Dreams**

It was night time and everyone had settled in for the night. Aaron and Vinny had settled into Brittany's old room for the duration of their stay, which everyone was hoping wouldn't last long. It had been an exhausting day, with Dave and the Chipmunks keeping an extremely watchful eye on the unwelcome visitor. Stanley seemed to have decided to stick around and had settled himself into the oak tree in the backyard. It was unusual for the eagle seeing as he had never visited for more than a few hours at a time.

To relieve some stress, Alvin decided to spend some quality bonding time with his mate before they called it a night. Brittany sighed in content as Alvin gave her a tongue bath. The chipmunk had her lying on her stomach while he slowly groomed her back, licking her fur down in brush stroke movements. So far, this had proved itself to be the most effective bonding technique because it killed two birds with one stone. Not only did Brittany enjoy it, but Alvin could keep his 'dominance' in check as well.

Every now and then, Alvin would graze his cheek against Brittany's fur to rub his scent in. Normally he wouldn't be fussed with it, but with his psychotic father on the loose, Alvin needed to be sure that it was clear that Brittany was already taken.

"Mmm, that feels nice," Brittany whispered to herself. She loved the sensuality of the activity as well as the intimacy. Every moment she and Alvin had alone together was golden. Surprisingly, they hadn't actually mated since the first time and Brittany was hoping Alvin would be in the mood again sometime soon.

"What was that Brittany?" Alvin asked between licks. He had begun to work on her shoulder blades.

"This feels wonderful," sighed Brittany. She propped herself on her elbows and flicked her tail so that it brushed against Alvin's nose, "It's even better than a spa."

Alvin chuckled softly, "I'm glad you like it. There are not many chipmunks out there that would happily do this, even if it does mean that their mates stay naked the whole time."

Brittany giggled and looked over her shoulder at Alvin with dreamy eyes, "I am one of the lucky few aren't I? So are my sisters. You know, if someone had told me few months ago that you and I would become mates, I would've told them to go live in an asylum. But here we are! A lot of strange things have been happening lately haven't they? First Dave turns into a chipmunk, we've become mates and now your parents have turned up out of nowhere!"

"Yeah, well the latter isn't exactly a good thing," Alvin said almost bitterly. He finished bathing her and they got under the covers, Brittany's head once again lying on Alvin's shoulder, "I'm really pleased to see Mum again, but Aaron can go and jump off a cliff for all I care."

"What makes you say that?" Brittany asked, "I was having a laugh with Aaron this morning. He's a nice guy."

"On the surface maybe, but underneath that kind smile is a sadistic murderer and rapist," Alvin warned her firmly, "I'd do anything to get Mum away from him. He was probably perving at your body the whole time you were talking to him."

"Are you serious?" Brittany squealed. She pulled back from Alvin in alarm and clamped her paws to her mouth.

Alvin nodded solemnly, "Yes I am. And that's why Simon, Theodore, Dave and I are going to try to create a plan to get rid of him and save Mum in the process. In the meantime, Simon and I have a condition for you and Jeanette to keep you safe from Aaron."

"And what is it?"

"One very simple rule," Alvin explained firmly, "From now until Aaron is gone, you are _not_ to leave my side for any reason. Not even if it's just for a trip to the bathroom or to get a drink of water. If I can't be there for you, then you are to stick with Dave or Stanley if he's around at the time. There's no telling when Aaron could lose control and attack you."

"Okay, fine. Staying by your side is something I should be doing anyway," Brittany agreed. She looked very worried as she asked, "What about Eleanor? She'll be even more appealing to Aaron seeing as she's a virgin!"

"She won't be for much longer," Alvin reminded her, "Theodore is planning on claiming her at the next full moon, which I'm pretty sure Simon said would be on Wednesday next week."

Brittany gave a look of relief and smiled, "Well, that's okay then." Her smile widened to a grin, "I can't wait to see the look on Ellie's face when she tells us! She'll be just as happy as I was...and still am."

Alvin chuckled and softly nuzzled his counterpart, "What would you say if I suggested we relive that night? You know...to experience that happiness all over again?"

Brittany's eyes widened in surprise, but then quickly changed to look seductive. She leaned into Alvin and used a finger to trace small circles on his chest. It sent shivers down Alvin's spine. She whispered slyly, "Then, I'd say bring it on hot stuff."

No further encouragement needed, Alvin growled huskily and rolled over. He clambered over the top off Brittany and pulled his pyjama top over his head, throwing it in a heap on the floor. Brittany giggled at his enthusiasm and found herself tracing his muscles with her soft paws. Both the young lovers felt that lustful desire growing fast, like a spark turning into flame. It consumed them and left them hungry for more.

"Feeling it yet?" Alvin murmured in her ear.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that!"

That was fine for Alvin, who was now kissing every part of his mate's body that he came across. Brittany moaned as he nipped at sucked at a sensitive spot on her neck, which quickly turned into a hickey. They took in turns to pleasure each other until Alvin finally clambered into a suggestive position. Brittany adjusted her hips, ready to accept her mate.

And why wouldn't she? She was Alvin's girl after all.

_**AATCAATCAATC**_

**Dave's POV**

I knew things had gotten more serious than just a few fights with some school bullies. Right now, there was a murderer making himself at home in my house. My family was in danger and on a level I knew I was in trouble too. Aaron looked like he could take on a lion and come out of it without even as much as a scratch. How could I even begin to fight him if he decided to try and kill me for my 'territory'? What would happen to the girls? What would happen to the boys?

Good thing that was never going to happen then, wasn't it? If he was going to destroy my family, he'd have to do it over my dead body! I loved them too much. I didn't spend the last five years taking care of my kids to have them taken away from me. I'd do anything for them. I knew that they trusted me with all their hearts and I wasn't about to let them down.

As I lay in bed, I mauled over the many possibilities I could think of to get rid of Aaron. The most obvious one had to be Stanley. Somehow that bird knew that there was danger and had possibly flown to our rescue. All I would have to do is say the word and Stanley would grab that little bastard and fly him miles away until it was impossible for him to find us again. But, as stupid as this will sound, it didn't seem fair to go for the easiest choice.

And by fair, I meant fair to _us_. This chipmunk had destroyed the lives of many people and by all means deserved to be punished. That led me to the second option: the Chipmunks and I show him how it feels to live in misery by taking away his most prized possession. Poor Vinny had been living such a terrible life for fifteen years. No one deserves to be treated like dirt, except for people like Aaron. A taste of his own medicine would leave a very bad taste in his mouth. And just when he was at his weakest, we could finally take him down.

But then another rogue thought pushed itself into my mind. What was to become of Vinny if we did get rid of her mate? Would she be able to cope with all the freedom or would she push herself even further into her defensive shell? She had been through so much in her life that it could just be too late to rehabilitate her and teach her how to be her own person. The Chipmunks would definitely do their best to make life for their mother a happy one.

Somebody needed to show her that a real relationship is based on love and not pain and ridicule. Little did I know on this particular night that the person who could prove that to her was me.

_**AATCAATCAATCAATCAATC**_

A little later in the night, Theodore was woken up by the sound of someone jumping on his bed. A dark shadow was cast on his wall by the moonlight making its way through the gap in the curtains. Theodore jumped in fright and pulled his blanket up to his chin while his eyes were as wide as saucers. Almost nightmarish thoughts of his biological father popped in his mind and he started to shiver with every step the dark figure took towards him.

"Teddy?" questioned a soft voice.

Immediately, Theodore calmed down as he automatically recognised the voice of his soon to be partner. He quietly sat up and met her soft gaze. Eleanor fell onto his lap and he caught her in an embrace. Even in the darkness, her eyes sparkled with that motherly glow she had always held. Still no words between them, Eleanor rested her head into his chest and listened to her boyfriend's steady heart beat. He smelled like apples and blackberries.

"Teddy?" she asked again.

"Yes, my gumdrop?" Theodore replied lovingly.

"Do you believe dreams can come true?"

"Of course I do. I'm living one right now."

"What about nightmares?"

Theodore looked taken aback at such an odd question, "I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

Eleanor sighed sadly and stared down at her toes, "It's your dad. Ever since you told me about what he's done to people, especially to girls, I've been scared. What if he comes after me?"

When Eleanor looked back up, it hurt for Theodore to see tear stains from under her eyes down to her cheeks. He reached up and caressed her face, pushing back a stray strand of hair in the process. "Don't you go worrying about that," Theodore said warmly, giving her a kiss on the nose, "As long as Stanley is around, I doubt that Aaron will even lay a finger on you or your sisters."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure that I'm sure," Theodore reassured her. He pulled back the area of blanket on his left side and patted it, indicating for her to join him under it. Eleanor hopped from his lap and happily lied down and snuggled into his side. She felt a wave of warmth crash over her and for the first time since the sun went down, she felt content.

"As long as we're together, we'll both be safe, right?" Eleanor asked softly.

"Exactly," Said Theodore with a curt nod. The green clad couple came together for an innocent kiss before snuggling even closer together to the point that they were almost counted as one person. Slowly, they nodded off into a deep sleep, full of dreams that only expressed happiness and the love they had come to knowing ever since they had escaped off the deserted island.

**Author's Note: Well, there you go. That was a short and sweet chapter, with a short and sweet Theonore moment at the end.**

**Just before you go off and disappear, I was wondering, does anybody on here have a account? Are you good as drawing if you do? Is there anyone who thinks that they could draw a picture of chipmunk Dave or one of the scenes from this story? Because that would be awesome! **


	24. I've had it

_**That's it! I've had it! I've had it with this whole story! I give up. I'm sick of the writer's block because it's affecting my schoolwork horribly. I'm sick of having no ideas and I'm sick and tired of struggling!**_

_**I couldn't care less about what happens to the story now. Adopt it and finish it if you want to, but I want no part in it. And don't try to guilt-trip me into working on it. If I get so much as even one tiny complaint, through reviews or PM, you can wave bye-bye to any more contact with me.**_

_**I'm moving on. The Chipmunks are still well loved, but I've out grown them as far as writing goes. I'm going to try my hand at Harry Potter.**_

_**Goodbye and good luck, Hillsy21 **_


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